Dangan Ronpa: Things That Never Happened
by ikuzonos
Summary: Attending Hope's Peak Academy is a dream come true for many students. However, this isn't the case for Asuka Ishikawa, who wants nothing to do with the school. Things take a turn for the unexpected when she wakes up in a mysterious location with fifteen strangers and the threat of death hanging overhead. Who will survive? ...It might not be as simple as you think. [OC Killing Game]
1. Prologue: Road to Despair (1)

**Prologue: Road to Despair**

Some people would give up everything in order for a re-do. But rewriting time isn't as easy as it seems. At first things progress as normal, but if you change even one tiny event, everything soon spirals out of control.

Because of this, the universe has an infinite number of endings for your story. Every ending brings forth a new beginning, and so forth. There is an ending where you went out with that girl, one where you won the lottery, and one where you adopted a cat.

But there is also an ending where you got hit by a car on the way to work, one where a fire burned down your home, and one where the person you love most betrayed you.

You never know how your story is going to end. People will claim that you could rewrite history, but it's never quite that simple.

You just need

One

Little

 _Shove_

And then everything crashes down around you.

* * *

 _I can't believe I'm actually here…_

If you were lucky enough to be loitering around Hope's Peak Academy that day, you might have caught a glimpse of her. A girl with a pixie cut and tattoos, staring up at the majestic school…

 _Shitty fucking building._

...And scowling intensely.

"Why did I do this?" she murmured to herself.

Her hand went to the pocket of her vest, and found the letter. She pulled it out, and unfolded the paper.

 _Dear Asuka Ishikawa,_

 _Congratulations! Hope's Peak Academy is proud to present you with a full scholarship to our school. Your skills are remarkable, and our scouts have decided that you belong here._

 _As the Super High-School Level Tattoo Artist, you will attend this school full time, and live on the grounds at all times. All your needs will be provided for by…_

"Fucking horse shit," Asuka muttered, folding the letter again. She hated how painfully obvious it was that her name and 'title' were pasted into a bland formula.

Just the idea of a school just for the most talented people disgusted her. Why should something like that exist? Even if she was among them, it didn't make sense.

She looked back up at the school, eyes narrowed in thought.

 _I could just go home…_

Her dad had insisted that she take the scholarship. Said it would be a chance to turn things around. Asuka really didn't want to accept, but she figured she owed him something.

With a heavy sigh, Asuka grabbed her bag, and took her first steps up the stone steps, and inside the school. It looked perfectly normal on both the inside and out, but she could tell it was hardly ordinary. No schools were this well funded.

She glanced up at a large clock hanging overhead. She still had nearly two hours before the initiation ceremony. She'd arrived so early only because of her immense distrust of public transportation.

 _Maybe I'll just look around for a bit. Not like anyone's going to stop me._

Her boot made contact with the clean floors, when suddenly, her vision swam. Asuka struggled for balance, but everything hurt so much.

Then she blacked out.

* * *

Hot sunlight beat down on her skin. Asuka awoke to a bit of grass tickling her nose. Slowly, she sat up, and rubbed her eyes.

 _Okay… I passed out when I approached that school. Did someone find me… and lay me down in this field?_

She glanced around, trying to make sense of everything. That's when she saw it. A tall building, far taller than Hope's Peak Academy stood in front of her, at the top of a hill.

But the building wasn't the only alarming thing about the area. No, the scariest part of the situation had to be the fact that she was on a giant cliff.

Asuka peered over the side, and felt her breath catch. The drop was at least a hundred feet.

 _Fuck, fuck fuck._

She sat up, and scooted away from the cliff. She looked around the area, and then suddenly frowned. There was a group of people near the bottom of the hill, and they looked rather disoriented.

Asuka carefully traipsed down the hill, trying not to lose her balance. Her legs felt shaky, and she wasn't quite sure if she would be able to hold herself up for long.

A girl with a large ribbon in her hair noticed her first, "H-Hey, there's someone else here!"

"That makes sixteen of us, right?" whispered a small boy with black hair.

"Affirmative!" a boy with blue hair cried, giving a thumbs up, "That seems like a solid number to me!"

A girl with a dark ponytail replied, "Well, we should check out that building, if that's the case. I want to know what's going on with it."

Most of the others nodded in agreement, and everyone stumbled up the hill together. Asuka followed blindly, her head starting to hurt. Perhaps it was the heat, frying her brain to a crisp.

Everyone entered the large building, and Asuka relaxed, finding out it was air conditioned.

A boy with purple hair said, "We should split up in groups, and look for clues. Introductions are later. For now, we need to figure out what we're all doing here."

From what Asuka could see, it looked like they were in a hotel lobby. She didn't bother confirming that, however, and instead, found herself lying on a long ottoman, her eyes drooping.

Resting for a short time wouldn't hurt anyone.

* * *

When Asuka awoke again, she was still in the lobby. Nobody else seemed to be around, except for a few students she could see on a balcony overlooking the lobby.

Carefully, she stood up, trying not to make herself dizzy. Her head throbbed, but Asuka tried not to think about it.

The lobby looked expensive, from the giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling, to the shiny security cameras poised all over, to the varnished wood counter on the far side of the room. Even the tiles looked fancy, and part of Asuka was afraid to walk on them.

She got over her fear quickly.

There were four doors on that floor that she could see, and at the back of the room, between two sets of stairs, was a boarded up elevator.

 _Weird._

"Oh, you're awake now?"

Asuka looked over to the entrance to the lobby, where a purple haired boy stood. He was wearing a thick jacket and pants, but didn't seem to be hot, despite the warm temperature. They made eye contact for a moment, then the boy adjusted his glasses and scribbled something down on a clipboard he was carrying.

"Were you waiting for me?" Asuka asked, trying not to feel creeped out.

The boy replied, "No, but I have been checking back, since you passed out again after we got inside. Are you feeling better now, Ishikawa-san?"

Asuka coughed, caught off guard, "How do you know who I am?"

"Easy. Everyone attending Hope's Peak Academy got a boost in online publicity," the boy said, "It wasn't hard to find information on you."

Asuka bit her lip, "I… see. Mind introducing yourself?"

 _Maybe I should have looked around online a bit…_

"Kousuke Kotara," he said, "I am the Super High-School Level Emergency Planner. It's nice to meet you."

Asuka eyed him carefully. While that might have explained the outfit and accessories, something about him still seemed strange.

 _Wait… did he say 'Super High-School Level'?_

Asuka said, "Hold up. You're enrolled at Hope's Peak?"

Kousuke nodded, "In fact, all sixteen of us are."

 _Great. More talent hacks to deal with._

Suddenly, he tutted, "And I hope that we never go through a terrible emergency, otherwise you will be the first to go."

"E-Excuse me?" Asuka crossed her arms defensively.

Kousuke replied, "Can you run in those heels? You're highly likely to twist your ankle in them. They should at least be waterproofed in the case of a flood."

Asuka said, "I think I'll be okay… And I still need to look around this place, and meet the others. See you around."

Kousuke said, "I should come with you. This is a large establishment, and I happen to have a bit of knowledge on the other students."

 _Did I say- No, whatever. Maybe he'll be quiet._

Asuka turned and looked around the lobby again. There was one other person besides herself and Kousuke, a brown haired girl dressed in mostly casual clothing. Asuka approached her, with Kousuke close behind.

"Hi!" she said as the two came up to her, "How are you two feeling?"

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "I'm… all right. Yourself?"

The girl grinned, "I'm rather well! Nice to meet you!"

Asuka said, "And you are?"

"Saki Yamura. I'm the Super High-School Level Confidant, and it's my pleasure!" she responded.

"You're a what?" Asuka asked, both confused and a little bit curious.

Kousuke contributed, "Yamura-san ran an advice column at her old high-school, but people began coming to her with more and more of their problems."

Saki added, "People seem to trust me. And I'm good at keeping secrets. You wanna tell me anything, Asuka-chan?"

Asuka scowled, "Don't call me that."

Saki smiled, "It's all part of trust, and interpersonal relationships. If you're familiar with a person, then you can learn more about them." With that, she fluttered her lashes a few times.

 _Remind me to never tell her anything._

"I think- Yeah, I'll be good," Asuka stated, taking a step away, "I really need to keep looking around, and meeting everyone else."

Saki's grin somehow grew, "Oh, okay! I'll see you around, then. Bye, you two!"

Asuka waved, quickly spinning around and hurrying after Kousuke, who had already begun walking away.

She found him climbing the staircase.

Asuka quickly ran up the wooden steps to keep up with Kousuke. He didn't speak a word, but Asuka could tell that he was thinking hard.

She tried to study him out of the corner of her eye, but the trip upwards didn't last long enough for her to make any brilliant deductions.

At the top of the stairs, there was a long hallway, with many doors. In the middle of the hall, the wall opened, revealing a balcony that overlooked the lobby.

There were bags in front of some of the doors, while others had nothing. Two of the doors were wide open, and voices came from inside them.

The most curious thing about the hallway, however, were the nameplates on the doors. While a name was written on each door, there was also a tiny pixelated picture.

 _That's peculiar._

Asuka walked down the hall, turning her head to read the names etched on the plates.

 _Ayano Chiba, Arata Takishida, Hiroki Ayugai… Ah! Asuka Ishikawa._

A large black suitcase was in front of her door. Asuka's eyes lit up, "My shit!"

 _I was wondering where it all went._

She knelt down, and opened the largest pocket. Sure enough, her sketchbook and ink were safe. Asuka let out a sigh of relief.

 _If something had happened to my sketchbook, I would have been so fucking screwed._

Kousuke approached from behind her, "Put your bag in your room quickly. Come on."

"Chill," Asuka responded, opening her door. She put her suitcase down on the bed, and took a glance around. The room was very western, from the bed to the bathroom. Her room wasn't furnished with much - the only other notable item being a desk that had a key on top - but Asuka assumed she wouldn't spend much time there anyways. The only thing about the room that bothered her was the overhanging security camera.

She went back out, and closed the door behind her. Kousuke had his arms crossed, and an annoyed expression on his face, "Let's get going. There's still a lot of people you haven't met."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "You don't have to follow me, you know."

"It's best that you have a guide with you. You could get lost, or pass out again-"

"Don't treat me like I'm-"

Someone's laugh echoed through the hallways, "Hey, now's no time for a lover's spat."

Asuka's face flushed as she turned around, "E-Excuse me?"

A boy with light brown hair was leaning up against the wall, a grin on his face, "Only joking. Name's Arata Takishida, and I'm the Super High-School Level Screenwriter."

"Asuka Ishikawa," she greeted, trying to cool the fire she still felt on her cheeks, "Uh, that's Kousuke Kotara, if you haven't already met him."

Kousuke replied, "I've met everyone here already. And even if I hadn't, I know how to introduce myself."

Arata chuckled, "Cute."

Both Asuka and Kousuke glowered at him.

"Sorry," Arata said quickly, "So Kotara-kun is the Super High-School Level Emergency Planner. What about you? I'm afraid I don't recognize your name."

Kousuke replied, "Look at her. I'd say it's pretty obvious."

"Cool your jets, lover boy," Arata muttered under his breath. Asuka resisted the urge to sock him, but only just.

"Super High-School Level Tattoo Artist," Asuka said. With a grin, she added, "I inked these on myself."

Arata fumbled in his pocket, then produced a pair of glasses. He put them on, then said, "Ah, now I see. Sorry, I usually only wear my glasses when I'm working on scripts."

Kousuke said, "Takishida-kun works on many famous television dramas, and he's even submitted scripts for some American shows. If there's a show out there that you like, he's probably written for it."

"The west turned me down because my English was too rusty," Arata said, "But I was close!"

Asuka nodded, trying not to let on that she rarely watched television, "That's, er, real neat."

"Glad you think so!" he flashed a smile, "I'm gonna keep looking around, so I'll catch you guys again whenever."

She waved to Arata, before turning and continuing down the hallway. She passed a few rooms, before coming across one that was wide open. Curiosity got the better of her, and Asuka poked her head inside.

Huddled in a ball on the floor was a girl. Asuka frowned and stepped into the room, moving towards her, "Uh, hi. Are you okay?"

She looked up, then held two fingers up, "Uh-huh! Name's Masuyo Okawa, and I'm the Super High-School Level Volleyball Player."

Asuka looked Masuyo up and down. She had short, reddish brown hair, and was wearing sunglasses on her forehead for whatever reason. She was also wearing a tank top and shorts, and had no shoes on.

Asuka cleared her throat, "Ah. Well, I'm Asuka Ishikawa. The, er, Super High-School Level Tattoo Artist."

"Nice to meet you, Ishikawa-chan!" Masuyo chirped.

 _Don't call me that._

Kousuke, who had materialized behind them at some point, said, "Ah, so you've met. Okawa-san is a national champion in regards to volley ball. She's travelled all over the country with her team."

"That's... impressive?" Asuka said, unsure how big the accomplishment was.

 _This is what I get for not giving a shit about sports, I guess._

"Thanks!" Masuyo said, "If like, that's all you wanted, could you skedaddle? I'm doing some thinking 'bout something important. Y'know, the economy and crap."

Asuka cast a wayward glance at Kousuke, who shrugged and said, "We can move along if you'd like. There's still places for us to be, anyways."

Masuyo smiled lazily, "Bye-bye, then!"

As they exited the room, Asuka asked, "Where to next, O Great One?"

"There's nothing else on the second floor, so we have to go over the main floor, and the grounds," Kousuke responded, walking away as though she hadn't just insulted him.

It appeared that there was a staircase on both sides of the hallway. Asuka followed him down the west one, and across the tiles again, until they reached a small wooden door. She looked over her shoulder, looking to see if she could catch sight of Saki, but there was no sign of the brunette.

With nothing else to hold her back, Asuka pushed the door open.

Inside, there was a gorgeous indoor garden. Flowers and bushes surrounded the circular room, and the gigantic tree in the centre nearly took Asuka's breath away. Gorgeous purple flowers, with maple leaf esque leaves surrounded the base of the tree.

What was more surprising than the tree however, was the person perched near the top.

"How'd he even get up there?" Asuka wondered quietly.

As if he'd heard them, the boy began climbing down the tree, moving deftly from branch to branch. He leaped to the ground, and stood in front of them with a grin, "Greetings! Uh, how goes it?"

 _...Hi?_

Asuka took a good look at the guy. His most striking feature was his blue hair, but his dark, muscular frame took a close second. She could hardly believe that he was a high-school student. He wore a short sleeved shirt with a tie, and jeans, which didn't match at all.

The guy gave her a thumbs up, "Name's Kenta Hasekura! You can probably guess my talent, but I'm known as the Super High-School Level Tree Climber."

"That's a talent?" Asuka blurted, before covering her mouth.

Kenta grinned, "Affirmative! Don't worry, I happen to get that quite a lot."

 _He's… very easy going._

"Who are you, by the by?" Kenta asked, "I introduced myself to Kotara-kun earlier, but you're a mystery."

"Asuka Ishikawa-"

Kousuke cut her off, "She's the tattoo artist."

Asuka glared at him, "I can introduce myself, thank you very much!"

"Just returning the favour," Kousuke responded,

Trying to get off the subject, Asuka said, "So… you climb trees?"

Kenta nodded, "Trees are the air I breathe! You'd be surprised how many tree climbing competitions actually exist. Little did you know, you have to respect a tree to be able to climb it. If you're rude, then-"

Asuka glanced to Kousuke for help, but he was focused on rooting through his backpack for something, leaving her to listen to Kenta's speech alone.

"-above all else, people who say that their favourite tree is a maple tree are either Canadian, or really can't even name six types off the top of their head. So… tell me your favourite kind of tree! I like the silver birch, myself."

 _Uh._

"I, um…" Asuka fumbled for something that wasn't a maple tree, "like… willow trees? They're aesthetically pleasing."

Kenta gave her a thumbs up, "Solid decision! They have such soft bark too, but the frame is so sturdy that they make a great climb! You should try it, if you even get the chance."

Asuka nodded and snuck another glance at Kousuke, then said, "Thanks, I'll… keep that in mind?"

 _Fuck that._

Before he could move onto another monologue, Asuka said, "We really should keep going and talk to everyone else. I'll see you."

"I can't wait!" Kenta said, "Farewell, Ishikawa-kun!"

Asuka grabbed Kousuke's wrist and tugged him further into the garden.


	2. Prologue: Road to Despair (2)

Kousuke broke free of her less than iron grip, muttering something sharp to himself. Asuka shook out her hand, examining what remained of the large room. Besides what she had already taken notice of, and a few doors, there was not much.

Out of curiosity, Asuka jiggled the knobs, but none of them moved.

 _I guess they're locked. Staff restricted, maybe? …Come to think of it, where's the staff?_

She was so caught up in her thoughts, that she didn't notice the girl in front of her until she was almost on top of her.

Asuka took a quick step back, "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

The girl shrieked.

 _Oh no._

"I-I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get in your way!"

Asuka shrugged, "No it's not a- whatever. Who're you?"

"H-Hikari Matsumoto, and I'm the Super High-School Level Gardener," she said quietly.

Asuka nodded, "Neat. Explains the watering can."

Hikari had a silver watering can in her quivering, gloved hands. She wore a modest yellow striped dress, and a large yellow sunhat. She was probably a magnet to bees. She had thick, curly brown hair, and a light dusting of freckles over her dark skin.

Hikari smiled, "I r-really like gardening! And with a-all these plants here, I can look after all of them!"

Asuka said, "That's… cool. I'm Asuka Ishikawa, the Super High-School Level Tattoo Artist."

"Nice to m-meet you!" Hikari said, "I was a l-little worried when I… when I saw that you were passed out again, but it's, uh, really g-good to see you up and about."

Asuka ran a hand through her hair, "Did… a lot of people see that?"

"It w-was kind of hard to miss," Hikari admitted. Quickly, she said, slightly louder than her prior squeaky whisper. "H-Hi, Kotara-san!"

Kousuke shuffled over to where the two girls were standing, "Matsumoto-san. I see that the two of you have met, hm? Her main 'claim to fame' as it were, is having such a way with cultivating plants that she could help agriculturally dead areas thrive again. She's also a main contributor to the restoration of many public gardens."

Asuka blinked a few times, then shot a glance at the tiny girl. After a moment, she said, "That's… seriously impressive."

Her eyes lit up, "A-Ah! Thank you so much!"

Kousuke glanced around a few times, then said, "I think it's time to move on. Goodbye. Matsumoto-san."

Hikari nodded, "B-Bye now!"

They left the garden almost as quickly as they'd arrived. Once they were out in the lobby, Asuka took a glance around.

"Where'd Yamura go?" Asuka asked.

Kousuke shrugged, "Why do you care?"

Asuka replied, "It's really not that I 'care.' I was just wondering where she went, is all."

"I would guess that she went to explore the building, as we currently are," Kousuke responded, "If you care to continue, the restaurant is just over this way." He pointed to a pair of large double doors near the ottoman she had fallen asleep on.

Asuka followed after him, past the set of doors. Sure enough, there was a restaurant on the other side. Tables and booths were scattered, and a large swinging door was near the side of the room, which likely lead to the kitchen.

She focused on the people that were in the room. A girl with long blonde hair was sitting on top of a table, while a boy with black hair was crawling around on his hands and knees.

 _...Do I want to know?_

Asuka stepped closer to the pair, moving cautiously so that she wouldn't step on the boy's hands.

The girl called out, "Any luck?"

The boy replied, "No, but I will find it, or my name isn't Minoru Fujita!"

The girl suddenly looked over at Asuka, and clasped her hands together, "Oh, hi! You're the girl who passed out!"

 _Please tell me that I won't always be known as that._

She smiled weakly, "Uh, yeah. Asuka Ishikawa, the-"

"Super High-School Level Tattoo Artist!" The girl exclaimed, "I've heard all about you."

Asuka blinked, "You… have?"

She examined the girl carefully. Her hair went down to her waist, save for the tight braid that fell against her chest. She wore a brown leather jacket over top of a plain white dress, and had brown boots that didn't quite grace her knees.

"I learned about all the new Hope's Peak students! Name's Takara Nakagawa, and I'm known as the Super High-School Level Bear Thrower."

"I'm sorry, _what?"_ Asuka responded.

 _What's with these people and all their weird talents?_

"Oh lord," Kousuke grumbled.

She raised her eyebrows, "Have you really never heard of me? And I was so certain that I'd find a person here who truly appreciated what I do…"

Asuka asked tentatively, "What… do you do?"

"Well, it's pretty self explanatory, right? I pick up the bear, spin around to get a good feel, and then release and hope to reach the greatest possible distance, you know?"

 _No, I do not._

Kousuke took a long breath, "This isn't the time to fool around, Uchiyama-san. None of us have figured out yet what we're doing here."

"What-"

The girl pouted, "Aw, don't spoil my fun, Kotara-kun! I almost had her, really."

'What are you talking about?!" Asuka snapped.

"The gig is up, I suppose," she giggled, "Natsumi Uchiyama. I'm actually the Super High-School Level Liar! Really lovely to meet you."

Asuka glanced over at Kousuke, "Uh. How did she get accepted into Hope's Peak?"

He sighed, "I wish that I could tell you."

Natsumi said, "Well, I can tell you! But some other time. It's a long story, I'll have you know."

"Really?"

"Nope!" Natsumi beamed, "Got you again!"

 _...Okay._

Instead of continuing to engage with her, Asuka glanced down at the boy who was still crawling around on the floor.

"Hey, you. Minoru Fujita, right?" Asuka asked.

Minoru got carefully to his feet, "That's me! You might know me as the Super High-School Level Finder."

"A… what? Is that a talent?"

Minoru didn't seem bothered by the comment, "I specialize in finding things. It doesn't sound impressive, but it's a very useful talent."

Kousuke threw in, "Apparently, he can find anything from material objects to missing people."

Asuka took a moment to carefully examine him. Minoru's black hair framed his face, almost long enough to be considered feminine. He had on a dark jacket, over a nice white shirt, and a tie, as well as dark pants and shoes.

Suddenly, Minoru's eyes widened, and he reached down on the ground.

"Is this yours?" Minoru said, handing a glittery gel pen to Natsumi.

Natsumi clasped her hands together, "You found it!"

"Of course I did," Minoru smiled. He reached into his pocket, and produced a pair of glasses. He put them on, and turned to look at Kousuke, "Oh, good to see you again."

Kousuke gave him a small wave, "You as well. Ishikawa-san, we should-"

"Keep going, I know," she muttered, "Later, you two."

Minoru and Natsumi smiled at her. She nodded sharply, then spun around and headed out of the restaurant, Kousuke close on her heels.

The lobby was dead quiet.

Asuka's heels echoed loudly as they hit the floor, and it felt unnaturally cold.

"How many other people do we have to meet?" she asked.

Kousuke replied, "There are sixteen of us, counting both you and I."

 _That doesn't answer my question! Do I look like I can do math?_

Continuing on like there was no problem, Kousuke said, "We should examine the lounge next."

"We have a lounge?" Asuka replied.

He pointed to a large glass door on the other side of the lobby, "Someone is probably still in there."

As they crossed the lobby, Asuka muttered to herself, "I don't know how the hell I'm going to remember where everything is."

Kousuke replied steadily, "Just check your map."

"My… what?" Asuka stopped just outside the door and looked over at him.

"Oh, sorry. I assumed that you already knew," Kousuke replied, putting his hand in his pocket. He produced what appeared to be a cellphone, "This is an E-Handbook, or at that's what it said when I turned it on. Everyone outside had one, so you probably do too."

Asuka fumbled in the pockets of her vest. She felt something heavy, and produced it. It was identical to the thing Kousuke was holding.

She clicked the button on the top, and the machine lit up.

 **Asuka Ishikawa - Official Student Identification Notebook**

Asuka rolled her eyes.

 _Sounds like something a private school would fucking have._

A screen with text came up, and Asuka scrolled through it.

 **Welcome to your Student Identification Notebook, otherwise known as your E-Handbook! It will be essential to life here.**

 **You can find an interactive map of the hotel, as well as the list of rules that all students will be expected to follow. There is also a list of options that you can use to customize your handbook in order to optimize your experience.**

Asuka said, "Huh, okay. I guess that'll be useful. Thanks."

"Mm. Anyways, we were on our way to the lounge," he reminded.

Asuka scowled, "Okay, dad. I get it."

The two made their way up to the door, and Asuka threw it open. It nearly hit Kousuke in the face, and she resisted the urge to chuckle.

Inside, right near the entrance, a boy with messy black hair was pacing back at forth, with his arms folded tight. She'd seen happier people at funerals.

Asuka looked around the room, examining it quickly. It was spacious, with tables and furniture scattered throughout. A girl was sitting in a corner, scrolling through her E-Handbook.

Cautiously, Asuka approached the boy. He immediately turned to her, undisguisable annoyance in his eyes, "Oh, _you're_ here, huh?"

"E-Excuse me?" Asuka responded.

He glanced away, "Can't stay awake for more than a couple minutes, looks like a delinquent who lives for getting high… Anything else of note, or did I hit all the marks?"

 _Prick!_

The boy said, "My name is Itsuki Yamasaki. I'm the Super High-School Level Hiker. Not that you'll remember that."

Asuka looked him up and down. Itsuki was pale and freckled, and had a pair of wiry glasses. He wore a white and black plaid shirt and dark pants, as well as boots with a slight heel. Truthfully, he didn't look anything like a hiker should, but it was also on the normal end of the talent spectrum.

Trying to deflect the topic away from herself, Asuka pointed to Kousuke, "Have the two of you met yet?"

Kousuke glanced down at his clipboard, "Unfortunately. I could go on for… some time about how inadequate Yamasaki-kun's outfit is, but I could reasonably do that for everyone here, and I'd rather not continue to waste my time on him."

Itsuki scoffed, "You could do well to listen to your own advice. You'll overheat in that coat of yours."

"Which one of us is the emergency planner?" Kousuke replied testily.

Itsuki opened his mouth, ready, to strike back, when a voice stopped him, "Ey, Yamasaki-kun! Why don't you shut up and leave these guys alone?"

Asuka looked around, to see that the girl in the corner had finally spoken up. There was a gleam of frustration in her eyes, and her lips were pressed together.

Itsuki grumbled something incomprehensible, the scowl on his face tightening. Asuka rolled her eyes and made her way over the the girl. She had put her handbook down, and was examining both her and Kousuke.

"Thank you," Asuka said to the girl, "I don't know how much longer I could've put up with that bullshit."

The girl waved her hand, "Nah, don't worry about it. He hasn't said a nice thing to anyone so far."

"I'm Yumiko Tsutaya," she said, "What's up?"

Yumiko had ashen blonde hair that was tied back in a bun, and was wearing a white beanie. She had on overalls, and a shirt covered in paint splotches underneath.

Asuka said, "Asuka Ishikawa, the tattoo artist."

Yumiko nodded, "Makes sense. Yours are pretty sick. I've always wanted to get a tattoo, but I have no pain tolerance. I'm known as the Super High-School Level Carpenter."

Asuka replied, "Oh, that's… interesting?"

"I made most of the desks that Hope's Peak uses," Yumiko said, a trace of smugness in her voice, "So I guess they figured they kinda had to bring me on board."

"A-Ah."

"I know, I know, not that interesting," Yumiko said, "Even I can admit that. Still, it feels pretty good. It was good to meet you… and to see you again, Kotara-kun."

Kousuke replied, "You as well. I think that we should be going, though. There are still a few people left, and I think we'd both like to get through it soon."

Yumiko nodded, "I get you. See you around!"

She waved as Asuka and Kousuke left. Itsuki did not.


	3. Prologue: Road to Despair (3)

Once they were outside, Asuka produced her handbook, and tapped on the **Map** icon. She scrolled around through it, and said, "There's a couple places we haven't been yet. There's the kitchen, a storeroom, and-"

"Outside," Kousuke finished, "Let's go to the storeroom first, since it's right here."

Asuka nodded, and shoved her handbook back in her pocket.

The two walked up to a desk that was sitting untouched on the side of the room. Kousuke walked around it, while Asuka leapt over it with ease.

There was a large wooden door behind the desk. Asuka said, "Do you think this is staff restricted?"

Kousuke laughed quietly, "What staff?"

 _I'll give him that one._

The door opened with surprising ease. Asuka stepped inside the storeroom, and shivered. The air conditioning inside was stronger.

Dim lightbulbs hung from thin wires. They lit up rows upon rows of shelves, each of which was stuffed to the brim with all sorts of supplies.

 _That's… a lot of shit._

Asuka glanced around, then froze. A girl was perched on a crate, head turned away, swinging her legs idly.

"Hi," Asuka said.

The girl waved at the two of them, but didn't turn her head.

 _Rude._

She had silky brown hair tied back in a sleek ponytail, and dark tanned skin. She was wearing a black jacket, tight jeans, and tall black boots that nearly reached her knees. A silver watch was clamped on her wrist.

Suddenly, she leaped off the crate and landed on her feet in front of the two. She stood up with a grin, and pulled off a pair of headphones, "Pleasure."

Asuka said, "Who are you?"

"Kazue Kanagaki," she said, "You're Ishikawa, right? I heard some things about you."

 _Was I the only one who didn't stalk my classmates prior to meeting them?_

Kousuke added, "She's the Super High-School Level Sharpshooter. And damn good at what she does.."

Kazue grinned, "Heh, thanks. I actually trained with a mercenary group in Europe for a while. Probably would have become a proper unit if I'd been older, but I'm glad to be back here. Well, Japan. Not this weird place."

"Do you have any idea what this place is?" Asuka asked.

Kazue crossed her arms, "Not a clue. Wish I did, though. It's nice as hell."

While that was true, Asuka couldn't help but feel the slightest bit disheartened upon hearing that.

Kousuke broke in, "I think we have to move on. Thanks for talking to us, Kanagaki-san."

Kazue nodded, "Yeah, sure. Later."

She ran back up to the crate she was sitting on, and plugged in her headphones again.

With that apparently settled, Asuka glanced at Kousuke, did a cursory sweep of the room in case there was anyone else hiding, then made her way out of the storage area.

"Is it just what's outside, now?" Asuka asked Kousuke, as she looked around the lobby once more. Besides what lay beyond the large translucent glass doors, they'd been everywhere.

Kousuke nodded, "Yes, exactly. I'll let you take the lead. There isn't anything exciting besides the hundred foot drop to certain death. Please don't walk too close to the edge."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "You have no faith in me."

Kousuke pushed up his glasses, "It's a mere precaution. Go, hurry along."

Asuka shrugged to herself, then made her way over to the doors. They were heavier than they looked, and made an unfortunately loud noise when they closed. She glanced up, sunlight hitting her face, and squinted. Her gaze traveled down towards the vibrant green grass, then up again to the blue skies.

"Where the hell are we?" She murmured to herself.

"Good question."

Asuka jumped, and looked around. Standing just behind her was a short girl with a long ponytail that was tied up with a ribbon. She was wearing a light blue sundress, sandals, and her hair was a pretty auburn colour.

The girl gasped, "Sorry, did I scare you? That wasn't my intention, please forgive me!"

Asuka shrugged, "It's chill. I don't think we've met yet- I'm Asuka Ishikawa."

"Nice to meet you, Ishikawa-san. I'm Ayano Chiba. Sorry, you didn't ask!" She flinched and stared at her feet.

 _I guess she's nervous._

"All good. I'm the tattoo artist," Asuka said. She quickly added, "What's your talent?"

Ayano said, "I'm the… the Super High-School Level Surfer. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Asuka blinked. Ayano didn't look much like a surfer, with her pale skin, tiny frame, and the sundress.

Ayano quickly looked down, "Sorry."

"For what?" Asuka asked.

Instead of responding, the girl ran off, disappearing into the hotel.

 _...Please tell me there's somebody at least vaguely normal here._

A voice from behind her said, " _Tu me dégoutes."_

Asuka turned around, and locked eyes with a sandy haired boy, "Excuse me?"

The boy frowned, " _Tu me-_ Wait, do you not speak French?"

"Why would I?" Asuka asked, crossing her arms.

"No reason," replied the boy, "I forgot that not everyone is as educated in the language world as I."

 _Good grief._

"My name is Hachirou Ikeda. I am the Super High-School Level Linguist, and it is _ein Vergnügen_ to meet you."

Asuka nodded, "Cool, I'm-"

Hachirou held up a hand, "I heard you the first time, right before you terrorized that poor little girl."

"I didn't do anything!" Asuka cried, "It's not my fault she just ran off!"

Hachirou rolled his eyes, "That's what they all say."

Asuka sighed.

 _I shouldn't have taken the scholarship. I should have turned it down and stayed home._

She took a moment to look over Hachirou. It was clear that his family had money, from his suit and tie, to his dress pants and expensive looking shoes. He wore a delicate pair of silver glasses as well.

Hachirou looked at his watch, "Well, I've spent enough time here. Perhaps I will see you again, Ishikawa. _Adios."_

Asuka didn't bother to wave to him, as she began walking down the hill. There were still two students at the bottom, apparently deep in conversation.

As she made her way down, she heard footsteps behind her, and soon, Kousuke had caught up with her. Asuka looked at him, waiting for him to catch his breath.

Kousuke quickly gulped in more air, then said, "Chiba-san has won championships all over the world, and is a surprisingly well known face."

Asuka nodded, then said, "What about, uh, the other one? The tall one."

"Ikeda-kun?" Kousuke asked. When Asuka nodded in confirmation, he said, "He's… well informed, I'll give him that. Mostly, he studies language, but he works in translation globally."

Asuka made a small noise to show that she'd heard. They were getting close to the last two people, who very at the very bottom of the hill for some reason.

As they got closer, Asuka realized that they were in the midst of an argument.

A curly haired boy shouted, "I could run there and back in thirty seconds!"

"There I could believe, but back? There's no way that's possible!" replied a shorter boy.

"Watch me!"

Before Asuka could say anything, the curly haired boy took off. She looked over her shoulder to see if she could spot him, but he had already vanished from sight. In the next few seconds, he was back, panting only the slightest bit.

"A new… record. Only twenty-nine… and a half seconds."

Asuka couldn't help herself and clapped. The two boys looked over at her in surprise, and she shoved her hands into her pockets.

"Uh, hi," Asuka said, "Who're you two?"

The curly haired boy grinned, "Sup! I'm Hiroki Ayugai! I'm the Super High-School Sprinter!"

Hiroki was stick-thin, wearing athletic shorts and a tank top jersey. He had dark curly hair and freckles across his face.

"Ayugai-kun is considered one of the fastest people in Japan. He's competed in races all over, and plans on travelling to America someday," Kousuke said, "Apparently, he rivals some western adult athletes."

 _How is he not dead from running like that?_

Asuka looked over at the short boy. He seemed distracted, and Asuka said, "Hey, what about you?"

He jumped, "Oh, I'm sorry! My name is Shun Asari, and I am the Super High-School Level Lip Reader."

Shun had short black hair, and wore a light blue hoodie, and a pair of dark jeans. He seemed to be hunched in on himself, trying to appear even smaller.

 _...Lip reader?_

As if he could read her thoughts, Kousuke added, "He works with the deaf and the elderly, and is a communication specialist."

 _Huh, that's actually neat._

Shun asked, "U-Um, hey, do either of you know what we're all doing here? I've asked around, but so far, the consensus is that we're clueless."

As if to answer the question, a pole suddenly rose out of the ground next to her. There was a speaker attached to it, and what appeared to be another security camera.

 _What?_

The speaker crackled, "Mic check! Testing, testing! Can you all hear me?"

Asuka shivered. The voice was cold, lifeless, but almost _gleeful_ at the same time.

"All students must report to the hotel lobby as soon as possible! I repeat, all students must report to the hotel lobby as soon as possible! Upupupu!"

Asuka glanced around. It suddenly felt much colder outside. Hiroki had crossed his arms, and Shun's hands had retreated inside his hoodie. Kousuke looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Asuka swallowed, "S-Should we go, then?"

The other three nodded silently, and together, trekked up the hill. Asuka could feel her chest tightening, and she closed her fists tightly.

Everyone else was already waiting inside, when the four of them arrived in the lobby. Asuka ended up sandwiched between Arata and Yumiko, as she joined the crowd.

There was a moment of silence, then a voice broke it. It was the same voice that Asuka had heard outside on the loudspeaker.

"That's everyone! Upupupu!"

Up until that point, Asuka didn't think her day could get any weirder. From waking up here after fainting in front of Hope's Peak, to every strange person she'd met that day, she'd been through a lot.

Then a monochrome bear leaped out from behind the front desk.

"W-What the fuck?" Arata screamed, leaping backwards in shock. Sweat was rolling down his now pale face.

Masuyo cooed, "Aww! It's cute!"

The bear replied, "I'm not cute! I'm Monokuma, and I'm your headmaster!"

 _...What the fuck._

"Wouldn't you like to take a vacation?" The self professed 'Monokuma' continued, "Get a break from all the awful things you go through in your life? Even gifted bastards like yourselves must get tired of going to school. So… for the time being, this whole class is on vacation."

Itsuki crossed his arms, "What's the catch?"

"Oh, there's no catch!" Monokuma said, "Except… well maybe there is a catch."

Hikari squeaked, "W-What are y-you talking about?"

Monokuma went still, "It's about how long you're all going to be on this lovely vacation for, of course."

 _Why do I have a bad feeling about this?_

"This vacation… is forever."

For a few seconds, nobody said anything, before Asuka cried out, "You mean I have to spend the rest of my life with these people?!"

The lobby broke into uproar, with everyone talking at once. After a few moments, Monokuma raised his arms, "Shut up, bastards! Honestly, you kids are so irritating."

Hiroki replied, "You kidnapped sixteen people! The police will be on your trail any second!"

"That's what they all say," Monokuma replied, "The authorities never come. But that brings me to our next topic. There is one way out of here."

Asuka swallowed.

"I like to call it… Graduation!"

 _...Graduation?_

Masuyo said, "Sorry Bear-san, but I thought this was a vacation. How would we 'graduate?'"

Asuka could swear that the bear grinned, "The only way to graduate, and then escape, is to commit murder."

 _Did he say… murder?_

 _W...h...a...t?_

Asuka's vision swam. She could feel something screaming at her from the back of her mind, and she clutched her head. When her vision cleared, the bear was laughing.

"Upupupu! If you want to escape, you must get away with murdering one of your fellow classmates!"

Yumiko whispered, "I don't believe this… there's no way he's telling the truth, right?"

Monokuma continued along, "Stab, strangle, poison, shoot, curse… Whatever appeals to you! Kill, kill, kill!"

Kousuke shoved his way to the front of the crowd, "There's no way that any of us would ever kill each other."

Monokuma replied, "Do you really think so? One of you might already be plotting the demise of your fellow students!"

Everyone glanced around at each other, nerves piling up.

When nobody spoke, Monokuma added, "By the by! You might want to check the rules on your E-Handbooks. They'll be important to follow during your Life of Mutual Killing."

Asuka mindlessly reached into her pocket and produced her handbook. She flicked through the options until she got to the rules, her breathing getting faster.

 **Rule 1: Leaving the hotel grounds without graduation is prohibited. All students must remain at the grounds at all times.**

 **Rule 2: "Nighttime" is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas, like the kitchen and dining hall, are off limits during this period.**

 **Rule 3: You are free to explore the grounds at your discretion.**

 **Rule 4: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, and will be gravely punished.**

 **Rule 5: Destruction of any property, intentional or not, is prohibited.**

 **Rule 6: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.**

 **Rule 7: Additional regulations may be added if necessary.**

"What's this about being punished?" Shun asked, trying to stop his voice from quaking.

Monokuma laughed, "To put it bluntly… execution."

Ayano shuddered, "As in…?"

"Execution is execution!" Monokuma cried, "I'm sure this must be very shocking to you all, but thems the rules. Now if you're all done arguing, I'd love to get a little despair. Go on, have a murder spree!"

 _No..._

Saki stepped out of the crowd, "Listen up, everyone! We can have a discussion in the restaurant tomorrow. We're all incredibly tired, aren't we? Let's get some rest."

Asuka hadn't realized how tired she was until then. Her bones ached, presumably from following Kousuke around all day. She looked around, and pretty much everyone was nodding.

"There's no need to worry about what that… thing said," Saki added, "It's all going to be fine!"

Monokuma giggled, then hopped behind the desk, and a loudspeaker crackled overhead.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Academy's Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

 _Like hell my worries will be eased when you're around._

The sixteen students made their way through the lobby. They split in the centre, half the students going up one staircase, while the other eight took the second. Around her, Asuka could feel tension in the air, and the icy sensation of eyes locked onto the back of her neck.

She shuffled up faster, and nearly sprinted down the hallway to her room.

Asuka arrived at her room and slipped inside, then slammed shut the door behind her. After a moment, she locked it too. She sat down on her bed, kicked off her boots, and rubbed her eyes.

After all the weird shit she'd been through that day, all she really wanted was to go to sleep. She shoved her handbook back into her pocket, and lay down.

That's when something struck her.

Her Hope's Peak Academy acceptance letter was gone.

 **16 STUDENTS REMAIN**


	4. Interlude: Way to Go, Genius

" **I AM ERROR. PRESS ANY KEY TO RESTART."**

Every light on the console had turned on at once. The man sitting at the desk chair pressed a key, then pressed it again when nothing happened. He switched keys a few times, but the message continued to blare through the speakers.

"Fuck," he hissed, slammed his fist down, "Na-"

He was intercepted at the console a moment later by the woman he had been calling for. She was typing something furious and cursing quietly.

" **SYSTEM NOT FOUND. INSERT INSTALL DISC."**

She turned on him with a blazing fury in her eyes, "What did you do?!"

He defended, "I did exactly as you asked!"

" **DISC NOT FOUND. PLEASE CONFIRM DISC COVER IS CLOSED."**

She slapped him across the face, "If you did, then why are all our fucking alarms going off?!"

" **READ ERROR. INSERT BOOT DISC AND PRESS ENTER."**

He rubbed his cheek and choked out, "I-It started acting funny when you…"

" **NO RESPONSE. SYSTEM MAY BE BUSY OR MELTING INTO SLAG."**

"When I what?!"

" **APPLICATION ERROR. SAVE YOUR WORK AND QUIT."**

"When you inserted that flashdrive."

" **YOU LOST EVERYTHING. WAY TO GO, GENIUS."**

The woman's eyes widened. She pulled the drive out with force, but the computer burned on, alerts booming from the loudspeakers.

" **WAITING FOR PROCESSORS."**

She took a step back and crossed her arms tight. Under her breath, she whispered, "If we have no contact, then this entire program is blown."

The man said, "What should we do, President?"

She stared him down for a moment, then approached him.

" **THREAT LEVEL UPGRADED."**

...and stabbed him through the gut.

" **DETONATION IMMINENT."**


	5. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (1)

Some people say that when you try to fall asleep in a new place, you stay up for hours and hours instead, staring up at the ceiling and cursing out your brain for not shutting down.

However, Asuka had passed out like a light. Whether it was due to exhaustion, stress, or a combination of the two, she had fallen asleep in a matter of seconds.

Now, after a less than refreshing sleep, she found herself waking in the mysterious room again. Her eyes burned, but she resisted the urge to rub them. Asuka peered around in the near darkness, wondering if she was still trapped in some kind of nightmare.

"Is this… real, then?" she muttered to herself, sitting up on the large bed. The walls of the room didn't answer her.

After a few moments, Asuka shoved her hand in her pocket, and confirmed that the letter of acceptance was indeed gone. She thought back to the day before, and she couldn't remember having the letter at any point after waking up in the field.

 _What happened to me?_

And of course, there was the threat of murder hanging above her head. Asuka closed her fist as her stomach churned. Had someone already taken the bait?

Suddenly, Asuka wanted to roll herself up in the quilt and not leave her room. Then, she shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat. When morning came, she was supposed to meet everyone in the restaurant.

 _ **Rule #2: "Nighttime" is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas, like the kitchen and the restaurant, will be off limits during this period.**_

"So at seven," Asuka mumbled, "I have to leave. Whenever the hell that is."

 _I wish I knew what time it was…_

Just as she began to regret her lack of a watch, a bell played overhead. Asuka searched for the sound of the noise, and found that a rectangular screen on her wall had lit up. For a moment, there was only static. Then, the infernal bear from the previous night appeared.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Asuka swung her legs off the bed, rubbing her forehead as she did. Once the initial dizziness had cleared, she slipped on her boots, and then dug in her bag. Asuka found her sketchbook, and a pencil, and pulled them out.

 _I mean, if I'm stuck here forever, I might as well get some neat inspiration._

For a moment, she stared at the crumpled bedding, then decided against adjusting it. With luck, she wouldn't ever have to use that room again.

Satisfied, or at least, as satisfied as she could get in this place, Asuka left her room. She headed down the stairs on the left, and walked to the lobby. A couple of people were hanging around already.

Saki and Kousuke were in the midst of a conversation, as she approached.

"At least you're somewhat more practical than the others," Kousuke was saying, "You could go for a thicker jacket, or pants that allow more mobility."

Saki shrugged, "I like my outfit. It works every day, so I don't really need a change."

Kousuke folded his arms, "What if it snows? Won't you freeze to death?"

"Can't you relax for two seconds?" Asuka asked, by way of greeting.

Kousuke turned around, "Oh, Ishikawa-san. I wasn't expecting to see you here so early."

 _What's that supposed to mean?!_

He continued, "I also see that you refused to take any of my advice. I'm only looking out for you, so I really hope that you can change yourself around in the future."

"I'll take that as a no," Asuka replied, glancing over at Saki, who seemed to be amused by the exchange.

Saki smiled, "Good morning, Asuka-chan!"

"Don't call me that."

Saki stuck out her tongue, "It's the best way to get to know you! A person's given name can tell you a lot about them! Personally, I believe familiarity is the best way for this group to get along."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Doesn't mean that I have to like it. Where the hell is everyone else, anyways? I figured that I'd be one of the last people here."

Saki crossed her arms, "Yeah… I hope everyone else is okay. Maybe it's just first day jitters! I worked at a summer camp a few years ago, and most of the kids wouldn't come out of their cabins on the first day."

"Well, we'll find the reason out eventually, I'm sure," Kousuke said, "It may merely be that the others have longer morning routines than we do. Shall the three of us adjourn to the restaurant for now?"

Asuka and Saki exchanged a glance, and shrugged. Together, the three entered the room, then paused in the doorway for a second.

"Oh, hey," Saki said, running ahead to a larger table near the centre of the room, "We can sit at this one. It'll probably be ideal for giving announcements and listening to what our friends have to say."

 _They're not my friends._

Kousuke began walking towards her, "I see. You're thinking ahead."

"Of course I have!" Saki replied with a grin, "I stayed up all night thinking of things that will help us all work together in this scenario."

Asuka blinked, "I'll admit… that's dedication. What did you come up with?"

Saki's gaze flickered towards the door, "I'll tell you when everyone gets here, okay? No use in having to repeat myself, right?"

Asuka pulled a chair out from the table and slumped down, "Whatever."

 _I can't believe I'm going along with this crap._

She leaned back in her seat, occasionally glancing at the door. Half-heartedly, she sketched a singular vine, surrounded by butterflies. It was hardly noteworthy, but it was something to do as they waited.

One by one, students trickled in. Hikari was the first, and was closely followed by Ayano and Minoru. Asuka briefly watched each of them, but didn't spend much time. Shortly after the three of them were Yumiko and Arata, the former waving frantically at Saki as she arrived.

The latter had a typewriter in his hands, so Asuka wasn't sure which of them was making her more tired.

The next arrival was Hiroki, who slammed himself down at the table with Arata and Yumiko without a word from them. Masuyo and Hachirou followed him in, already engaged in what looked to be intense conversation. She wondered silently what topic could have warranted Masuyo looking like Tanabata was cancelled.

The sight distracted Asuka so much, that she nearly missed Kazue striding in, marching right to the back of the room without a word to anyone. Following the sharpshooter was Kenta and Itsuki, then Natsumi, who seemed almost dazed as she stumbled inside.

Saki suddenly stood up, "I think that's everyone! I'd like to officially call this meeting to order, if that's not a problem!"

Kenta shouted, "No, we're still missing, uh, one other person!"

 _Which one of… right, Asari. What's keeping him?_

A worried look crossed Kousuke's face, "That's not good. Should we go look for him? I don't like the idea of him being on his own for long."

As he said it, the doors to the restaurant flew open. Shun was standing in the entrance, panting, "S-Sorry I'm late!"

Kousuke replied, "Ah, good to see that you made it. Sit down quickly, please. We nearly started the meeting without you."

Shun waved his hands, "I'm real sorry…" He quickly scurried across the room and settled at one of the available tables.

Saki cleared her throat, "Okay, now that we _actually_ have the whole gang here, I really want to get going. Before I get too involved, you've all explored the hotel as much as possible, right?"

There were nods all around, as well as a couple grunts of agreement.

"Good to hear," she said, "As we all know, we're stuck here until… Well, you heard what that bear said. I'm not willing to let that happen! Kousuke-chan, Asuka-chan, and I are going to make sure that all of you are taken care of."

 _I didn't agree to this!_

Kousuke added, "As you may have deduced, the… three of us have made plans to ensure we are all happy here. But that begs other questions, such as… are all of you okay with letting us be your leaders? We are up to the task, but I know that the the rest of you may not agree.

Asuka blinked.

 _You mean that all of this wasn't supposed to be a power grab?_

Continuing, Saki said, "The best way to decide is a quick vote! Raise your hands if you're good with us being in charge, at least for the time being."

There was a pause, then arms went up. Asuka swiveled around to do a cursory glance of the room. Surprisingly, at least half the people had their hands in the air.

Kousuke counted each hand, scribbled something on his clipboard, and said, "Very well. Just to make sure we have everything correct, raise your hand if you are in favour of electing another person or persons as the leader."

The remaining hands went up.

"Ah, look like you guys are out of luck," Saki conceded, "It's eight to five!"

Itsuki scowled, "I don't think it's a good idea, letting one group take charge. You three could easily be plotting our deaths."

Arata said, "We don't know that, though. I'd prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt."

"Benefit of the doubt?" Masuyo questioned, "In this hellhole of life or death?"

Kazue said, "I did vote for the three of you to lead, but I do understand where everyone is coming from. Nobody in this room is exempt from suspicion, not at this point."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Asuka shifted in her chair, unsure of what to say.

Saki's voice quaked as she spoke, "It's okay! Eventually, we will all be found, and this nightmare will be over. The police are probably already on their way!"

"Wow, you kiddos sound _real_ certain of yourselves!"

Asuka cringed. The same ear bleeding tone that had entered her head the previous night was back again. Standing on the table she was seated at was Monokuma, spinning around like the world's ugliest ballerina.

"I guess that's what you have to expect with the entitled generation!" Monokuma continued, "Thinking the world revolves around them, and that people will come to your rescue!"

Hachirou replied, "Nobody asked for your opinion, _ursa."_

Monokuma spun around, "It's not my opinion, it's a proven fact! Do you think anyone could just _get_ to this place?"

"Then how'd we get here?" Hiroki asked.

In a sing song voice, Monokuma replied, "It's a spoiler!"

 _Fucking piece of shit!_

Saki's voice grew uncomfortably low, "Get lost."

Monokuma grinned and bowed low, "As you wish, my lord."

Then he vanished without a trace. Suspicious eyes flitted around the room, but nobody seemed willing to say a word, not even Saki or Kousuke.

 _Guess that leaves me._

Asuka clapped her hands once, "Okay, punks. Uh, since that annoyance is out of the way, we need to move onto something kind of concerning."

"Concerning?" Minoru asked, "Did you find something out?"

Asuka shook her head, "Not exactly? It's more along the lines of… what the fuck are we supposed to eat? I haven't had a chance to look at the kitchen myself, but I don't think our captor would waste their time cooking for us."

As she spoke, her stomach growled. She couldn't remember the last time she ate. It could have been the morning before she left for the school, but she still didn't know how much time had passed between passing out on the steps and waking up in the field.

"That's a good point," Kousuke conceded, "Can I get a show of hands for how many of you can cook?"

Hikari, Shun, Ayano, and Hiroki's hands flew up in the air.

Saki beamed, "That's really good! If it's okay, we'd like to put the four of you in charge of making breakfast every day. We can pitch in, probably, but who knows how much help we'll be."

 _Does this mean we have to meet for breakfast every day?_

Saki clapped her hands together, "Oh! One other issue I realized… We're all afraid of being killed, I would imagine. So from now on, I propose that nobody goes anywhere alone. We'll use the tried and true buddy system to get through this!"

 _Well, if someone dies… At least then we'll know who the culprit is._

Ayano dipped her head, "W-We can do this!"

"Good! We can become friends if we all get along!" Saki declared.

 _But I don't want to be friends with you assholes!_

Asuka sighed, and put her head down on the table. She didn't move again, until she heard something being put down in front of her.

Raising her head, Asuka saw Hikari placing warm bagels, and some jam on the table.

"T-there," Hikari said, "We'll have a m-more in depth breakfast tomorrow, I p-promise."

"Thank you," Asuka said, taking a small bite out of the bagel.

The others began to eat too. Asuka kept her head down as she did so, having brought enough attention to herself for one day. When she finished, she instantly got to her feet, only to be stopped in her tracks.

"Where are you going?" Saki asked, raising an eyebrow.

Asuka blinked, "I… Nowhere?"

Saki crossed her arms, "I _thought_ that we would be adhering to a buddy system."

Asuka scowled, "Why don't you come with me, then?"

"Okay," Saki said, standing up, "Kousuke-chan, can you keep an eye on the place?"

Kousuke nodded, "Certainly. I'll do everything in my power to ensure everyone's safety."

Saki clasped her hands, "Good to hear! Hopefully we won't be too long."

Asuka rolled her eyes.

She left the restaurant with Saki on her heels. Asuka glared at her once or twice over her shoulder, but the confidant didn't seem to be aware.

"Where were you planning on going?" Saki asked.

 _I just wanted to LEAVE._

Asuka glanced around the lobby before her eyes landed on the small wooden door. She said, "The… garden. I wanted a reference for my sketchbook."

Saki nodded, "I see. Do you draw often?"

Asuka responded, "I design all the tattoos I ink. So… yes, all the time."

"That's interesting," Saki remarked, "In that case, let's get you that reference."

 _Like you give a shit._

She believed the lie, though, so that was one win for her. Asuka pulled the door open and held it for Saki, then delved inside herself.

Apparently, two other people already had the idea to come inside the place, because Hikari and Yumiko were already there; the former kneeling on the stone path, while the latter hovered nearby.

The door closed firmly behind them and both girls looked up. Yumiko's eyes lit up, "Saki! Ishikawa-san!"

Asuka glances at Saki, who was waving at the pair, "Do you know her, or something?"

Saki nodded, "We went to middle school together."

"Mm," Asuka responded, beginning to make her way over to the other two.

Yumiko grinned, "What are you two up to? I didn't expect this place to be hopping."

Asuka replied, "I'm looking for a specific flower to sketch as a reference for a tattoo. Yamura is… following me."

Yumiko said, "Heh, I'm following Matsumoto-san. She said something about… agriculture work? Something like that."

Hikari looked up at the sound of her name, "T-There's a lot of invasive, poisonous, and other dangerous plants here, so I'm uprooting what I c-can, and… and well… trying to make this place better."

Asuka blinked, "That's very smart of you. Thinking of the ecosystem."

Hikari tugged her hat down over her eyes, "T-Thank you…"

Yumiko snorted, but covered it with a cough. Asuka opened her mouth to say something, when a horribly familiar laugh cut her off.

"Upupupu… What idiots you lot are!"

Hikari squeaked and pulled her hands close to her body. Asuka assumed a protective stance as she glanced around the room, looking for Monokuma.

The bear was perched on top of a stump in an adjacent plot of dirt. He said, "I won't allow this beautiful garden to be altered by any of my students, talented in this area or not. This is an expression of my creativity!"

Saki asked, "So… What exactly are you saying?"

Monokuma huffed, "Such insolence. I made myself clear, but since none of you appear to having reading comprehension above a six year old level… Any further attempt to uproot or replace the plants in here will fall under a violation of rule number five."

 _Which one is… oh no._

From her handbook, Yumiko quoted, "'Rule 5: Destruction of any property, intentional or not, is prohibited.' For tending to plants!?"

Monokuma replied, "I take care of them myself. And the entire garden is watered at exactly ten fifteen every evening! So please… take this as a warning, Matsumoto-san! I won't be lenient to rule breaking in the future."

He laughed once more before vanishing into thin air again, leaving the air tense. Hikari sniffled.

Asuka turned to her, "Hey, you're okay. You didn't know."

 _Fucking piece of shit bear._

Yumiko coughed again. Quickly, she said, "Uh. Now that the bear's gone… Saki, I wanted to ask you something important. Can we go… somewhere else?"

Saki folded her arms, "Yeah, we can. Asuka-chan, can I trust you to stay here with Hikari-chan?"

"Of course," Asuka said, "I won't leave her side."

 _I'd have to be fucking heartless to leave someone like her alone._

Yumiko covered her mouth while Saki said, "Okay, cool. I'll see you in a while. Take care!"

Asuka gave her a nod, then sat down next to Hikari on the ground. When the door closed again, she asked, "Do you need anything?"

Hikari shook her head, "N-No, but I appreciate the offer. It's nice t-to have company."

Asuka shrugged and cracked open her sketchbook, "Okay, suit yourself. But I'll be here, so…"

"I'll l-let you know," Hikari replied.

 _I guess it might be good to spend time with Matsumoto._

The two mostly sat in silence as Asuka sketched. Occasionally, one of them would make a small hum or quip, but a full conversation didn't break out for several minutes.

"W-What are you drawing?" Hikari asked, "I can't… can't see too well from here."

Asuka pointed at a red flower with petals that seemed to form the shape of a star, "That. I don't know what it's called, but it looks nice. It might be a good accent for something in the future."

Hikari's eyes lit up, "That's an amaryllis! They grow best in subtropical areas, especially if the soil is slightly acidic. They're quite beautiful."

Asuka chuckled, "Wow, impressive. But I guess I should expect expertise from a Super High School Level Gardener. I really only know roses and sunflowers… Flowers were my mom's thing."

Hikari smiled slightly, "A-Ah… Well, now you know another! And I could… could tell you what the other plants around here are! If you'd like, t-that is."

Asuka set her sketchbook down, "I… Sure? But I don't want to be trouble for you."

Hikari clasped her hands, "I'd r-really like to!"

 _Oh, what the hell. Why not?_

For the next hour, Hikari led Asuka around the garden, chattering excitedly about every single plant she saw. Asuka absorbed less than a quarter of the information, but it was refreshing to see genuine excitement on the smaller girl's face.

 _I think Matsumoto and I grew a little closer today._

"And this i-is a carnation!" Hikari exclaimed, "They're-"

She was cut off by the door being thrown open. Masuyo slipped in and closed the door again firmly, looking at them with wide eyes.

"Hey, could you guys, like, hide me?" she asked, looking all around the garden, "Now?"

Asuka shot a glance at Hikari, then said, "Are you okay?"

The door began creaking open again and Masuyo dashed behind a tall set of stalks that mostly hid her from view. In the next second, the door was wide open again, and Hachirou stepped inside.

 _Oh fuck._

Hachirou said, "Good afternoon. I'm currently in search of Okawa, and was wondering if either of you had seen her. She ran off the middle of our conversation."

Masuyo leaned out from behind the stalks and quickly dragged her finger across her throat.

"W-We haven't seen her!" Hikari insisted, "Y-You shouldn't bother looking around here."

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "I could have sworn she ran in here, however."

Asuka scowled, "If we saw her, we'd fucking tell you."

Hachirou kept his gaze on them for a moment, "I see. Well perhaps I'll wait here in this lovely _ogród_ with you and see if she arrives."

"I was actually on my way out," Asuka said, crossing her arms.

"That's too bad," Hachirou replied, walking down the stony path and standing close to them, "I will see you some other time."

 _God I hope not._

Asuka mouthed a _'sorry'_ to Hikari before making her way to the door. She pulled it open and held it for a moment, blocking the view of the exit as Masuyo - who had crept along the wall, shielded by invasive brush - darted out, before leaving herself.

The auburn haired girl let out a sigh of relief once the two of them were alone in the lobby.

"Thanks," Masuyo waved her hand, "I owe you one."

Asuka shrugged, "I didn't do anything. If anything, you owe Matsumoto."

Masuyo crossed her arms, "Yeah. Guess I'll have to make that up to her later. For now, though… Okay, I'll be up front. I don't trust you, or anyone here, in the slightest."

"And you think I do?" Asuka replied.

Masuyo shrugged, "Good point. But aside that crap, I'm putting up with your buddy system thing for now. I think it's stupid as all hell, but I'm not down for being yelled at excessively, y'know."

Asuka scowled, "Don't attribute that system to me. It's more than likely going to get someone killed."

"Yeah," Masuyo replied testily, "But back on my original point, I think we should at least stick together for now. Even if I'm really not up for it."

 _Should I hang out with Okawa?_

"Sure, whatever," Asuka said, "Let's get away from the garden, though."

The closest place that any two people could conceivably spend time together and not feel excessively weird was the lounge. Kazue and Minoru were sitting inside already, but they were so absorbed in their own conversation that they didn't even look up.

Asuka sat down on one of the numerous chairs, while Masuyo stood nearby and began stretching. At first, it wasn't anything memorable, but soon she began to bend her body in ways that Asuka wasn't sure was physically possible.

"Are you okay?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "You look like you're going to hurt yourself."

Masuyo turned her head at an angle that made Asuka grimace, "Yeah? I'm just doing my usual practice warm up. I can't let myself get out of shape while we're here. That would… what's the word… Fucking suck."

Asuka supposed she wasn't incorrect. She said, "You take volleyball pretty seriously."

"Well of course! You take whatever the hell it is you do seriously, right?" When Asuka nodded, she continued, "If you don't nurture your abilities, then there's no point in taking pride in them."

Asuka said, "Mm. I wasn't provoking anything by that, though. I just don't know a fucking thing about sports."

Masuyo chirped, "I hear that a lot! But if you can spare my yammering, I can tell you some shit."

"Okay?" Asuka responded.

 _What did I just get myself into…_

"When you play volleyball, people have the impression that you watch the ball. But that's not it. You have to-" she dropped to the ground in a heap- "be the ball."

Asuka looked for an escape route.

Masuyo continued, "You become the ball, transferring all your energy into the spike. _You_ go flying over the net, back and forth, until impact with the cold ground below. And it all begins again!"

"Oh," Asuka said intelligently.

Masuyo sprung up and flashed a grin, "Having a philosophy is very important to your success. This is mine."

"I… see," Asuka fumbled for a coherent response, "I've never heard anything like it before."

 _Understatement of the century._

Masuyo clasps her hands, "I'm glad to hear it! No good for nothing chump is allowed to steal my motto."

 _I think Okawa and I might have grown closer today._

Asuka and Masuyo remained in each other's company for the next several hours. Asuka sketched, touching up the vine she had been working on that morning, while Masuyo continued doing increasingly frightening stretches. After some time, however, Asuka got to her feet.

"I think I need some fresh air," she said, closing her book.

Masuyo unwravelled herself from the pretzel she had previously been shaped like, "Oooh, good idea, Ishikawa-chan. I could go for some myself."

They left the lounge together and headed outside. The door slammed shut with a tremendous bang, causing the pair to wince for a moment. Asuka brushed it off and sucked in the fresh night air, warm and sweet.

She wandered down the hill with Masuyo drifting behind her, until suddenly, the smaller girl whispered, "Oh no."

Asuka turned her head, "What?"

Masuyo pointed silently forwards. Asuka followed with her eyes until she spotted Hachirou, who was sitting on the ground, reading.

"We can leave," Asuka said quickly.

Masuyo waved her hand, "Nah… I should talk to him. He's not terrible? Just… He's one of those people you can only talk to for twenty minutes. Any longer and you'll consider drinking drain cleaner."

Asuka crossed her arms, "That's really specific."

Masuyo shrugged, "It's accurate. Thanks for wasting your time with me, Ishikawa-chan. Maybe we can do it again another day. Assuming we both survive the night."

Asuka nodded and waved to her as she made her way to where the linguist was sitting. She stood there in silence for a moment as a chilling breeze blew through her hair, until the sound of another voice caught her attention.

"Ah. You're out here."

Asuka turned around to see that Itsuki was standing behind her, looking annoyed. Whether it was at the cold air, or at her, she wasn't entirely sure.

She said, "Yeah, I am. Do you need something from me, or am I just in your way?"

Itsuki let out a long sigh, "Unfortunately, the former. I don't have anything to do for the time being, and I've exhausted other options of entertainment. Whoever the fuck is behind that tiny fursuiter, they didn't give us much to do."

 _Because they want us to kill each other, dipshit._

Asuka finished, "And you want to kill time with me."

"Yes," Itsuki admitted, "But if you'd really rather not have me around, I'll go somewhere else. I don't really give a shit what you say."

 _Should... I spend time with Yamasaki?_

Asuka sighed, "Why the fuck not. I don't have anything better to be doing either."

Unfortunately, killing time with Itsuki meant awkwardly walking up and down the hill and not looking at each other. Asuka couldn't think of a single conversation to start with him, considering how their first meeting had gone, and the hiker didn't seem to have any plans to open up.

At the fourth circuit around the grassy hill, Itsuki finally spoke, "I don't understand you."

"Well, that makes two of us," Asuka said, raising an eyebrow at him, "Also, for the record, I don't take drugs. I'm not sure how you got that impression of me."

Itsuki huffed, "It was an observation. I'm a hiker, not an analyst."

Asuka said, "Well, my observation of _you_ is that you're too frail looking and pale to reasonably be a hiker. If you spent your free time doing that, you'd at least have some muscle mass."

Itsuki stopped in his tracks, "Excuse me? I'm not about to debate my appearance with someone who looks like they rolled right out of a biker gang."

Asuka scowled, "Biker gang?! These tattoos are artistic and meaningful! Each stroke of ink has personal significance, even if you're too much up your own ass to appreciate it."

Itsuki crossed his arms, "Hmph. I wasn't expecting you to get so fired up about that."

"I don't care if I look like a punk," Asuka said, "My work is important to me, and I plan to defend it."

 _And... I can't let him find out about..._

Itsuki said, "I can't say I agree with you, but I believe I can understand your perspective."

Asuka said, "Thanks. Sorry for trashing you before. You have been walking around this hill without breaking a sweat. Maybe we can come to some kind of truce?"

"No," Itsuki said, before turning around and leaving.

"Asshole," Asuka muttered.

 _I might have grown closer to Yamasaki today, but… god knows._

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

Asuka looked back at the hotel. If it was already that late, then it was best for her to head to bed. Knowing Saki, she'd want her to be up bright and early for another day of spouting meaningless platitudes.

Whatever. Asuka wasn't going to begrudge herself some sleep.

She walked back up the hill, only stopping a few times, until she finally got to the hotel and pulled the door to the lobby open. She closed it gently and prepared to go back to her room, only to stop still.

"Why the fuck is it so dark in here?"

Earlier, it had been slightly dim in the lobby, but it was just about pitch black now. Asuka squinted, but the only light came from small light bulbs on the second floor.

"Upupupu…" Monokuma giggled. Asuka's eyes flitted around, resting on the red eye of his that glowed in the darkness. The bear said, "In this day and age, we can't rely on oil and coal to give us light at all times. And I don't have the budget to keep the electricity on all night."

Asuka said, "So… You expect us to wander through here blind?"

Monokuma replied, "Of course not! You have no faith in your humble headmaster. Emergency lights near the staircases will guide you up to a night of rest."

Asuka took a deep breath, "This is ridiculous."

"Well, maybe you should go to bed earlier, if my cost cutting measures are that inconvenient to you," Monokuma said with a biting tone.

"Stupid fucking bear," Asuka growled, blindly heading for the staircase.

Monokuma shouted after her, "I'm not a bear! I'm Monokuma, your esteemed headmaster! Don't you walk away from me!"

Asuka didn't respond to him as she found the staircase and climbed up. She walked down the hall and opened the door to her room. While she wasn't feeling like she could spend the rest of her life in this place, especially considering the pest problem, it wasn't so bad for the time being.

Before she could go inside, however, a scream echoed upwards from the lobby below.


	6. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (2)

A rush of blood to the head is a sickening, painful experience that threatens to crush your skull in the moment that it first pulses. Your throat tightens and a dizziness courses through your body while your vision flashes and it feels like it might never end.

And then, if you're lucky, the pain passes.

Unfortunately, Asuka had never been known for her good luck. With her head still swimming in agony, she spun around on her heels, squinting in the near darkness.

The lobby wasn't visible from her current position, so she ran for the stairs and leapt down them two at a time. Asuka could vaguely recognize that a few people were following her, but she wasn't able to pick out who they were. The shrill scream continued to repeat in her head like a unstoppable tape deck.

As she and a few others landed in the lobby, some of the lights came back on. She brought a hand to her forehead as her eyes adjusted to the change, then stopped still.

There was blood on the floor. Asuka felt hot bile rise in her throat.

 _Someone… Someone actually fucking…_

The screaming, she suddenly realized, had long since stopped. The only noise in the lobby, besides the sound of her own heart palpitations, came from Masuyo, who was crying in Hachirou's arms.

"What just…" she whispered, her voice catching in her throat.

Saki pushed past her, Kousuke following on her heels. The dark haired girl shouted, "Is everyone okay?! Can someone please explain what just happened?!"

"I'd like to know too!" Monokuma's ear-splitting exclamation rang through the lobby as he appeared out of nowhere, "Hmph! I go to all this effort to protect the environment, and you bastards immediately make me turn the lights back on. Unbelievable."

Hachirou pointed across the room, his lips curled into a snarl, "Perhaps that _maldito bastardo_ can tell everyone what's transpired."

Asuka followed the aim of his finger, her eyes resting on Minoru. He was holding a hand over his nose and mouth, but it was difficult to hide the blood running down his face and onto his clothes.

Arata gaped, "What the fuck did you do?!"

"I-" Minoru began, breaking off as more blood dripped out of his mouth.

Kazue passed him what looked to be a handkerchief, "Here."

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, "So if Fujita-kun's at fault, why is he the one bleeding?"

"I punched him," Hachirou replied simply.

"You fucking _what?!"_ Asuka blurted.

Hikari quaked, "T-there's no reason for v-violence!"

Hachirou sneered, "No reason? Not retaliating against lowly scum who would attack an innocent girl is an injustice in and of itself."

Saki's nostrils flared, "He… attacked Masuyo-chan?"

"Cold…" Ayano whispered, pressing her hands against her chest.

"It's fucking heartless," Itsuki snapped.

Shun raised a hand awkwardly, "We might be misunderstanding the situation."

Yumiko scoffed, "What's there to misunderstand? This is clear cut."

Kenta nodded darkly.

Kousuke rubbed his brow, "Everyone, please stand down. This situation is not going to resolve itself if we continue to make accusations without hearing everything."

"It's also really late," Asuka threw in, "It… might be easier to work through whatever the hell happened in the morning."

Saki nodded, "Y-Yes. Everyone who isn't directly involved should go to sleep. The three of us will work out a solution, I promise."

 _Three of… Oh. I'm included in this equation._

Asuka straightened her back, watching carefully out of the corner of her eye as the group began to filter back up the stairs. A few people - namely, Hiroki and Kazue - lingered in the lobby for a few moments, taking in the scene. Nobody spoke until the six of them were alone.

Saki folded her hands neatly, "Now, which one of you would like to explain, in full detail, what happened?"

Hachirou glanced at Masuyo. The small girl was still shaking and unresponsive. He cleared his throat and said, "When I was returning to the hotel, I heard Okawa scream. I threw open the doors to the lobby to see her on the floor in a heap, and that scum standing over her."

"Did you see anyone else?" Asuka pressed, casting a glance at Minoru.

Hachirou shook his head, "Only those two. So, assessing the situation, I did what any self respecting gentleman would have done, and punched him in the face."

Kousuke scribbled his words down on his clipboard, "I… see."

"I was aiming to break his nose," Hachirou continued, "but I missed the proper place of impact, thanks to the darkness."

Minoru whimpered pitifully. Saki shut him up with a withering glower.

Kousuke said, "And Fujita-kun? Can you give us your side?"

Hachirou scowled, "Nothing he'll say will be true."

"Hey, we let _you_ speak," Asuka snapped, "At least let him defend himself."

"You would trust the words of a suspected criminal over those of a clear victim? _Tu me dégoutes,"_ Hachirou replied.

Kousuke raised an eyebrow, "You're not the victim."

Saki said, "Masuyo-chan isn't in a position to speak for herself at the moment. I'd say that speaks volumes about the situation."

"It was an accident-!" Minoru choked out. Blood filled saliva fell to the floor, leading him to cover his mouth again.

Hachirou spat, "Don't try and pull the 'accident' card now. I should have hit you again."

"We shouldn't fight-" Kousuke was almost instantly cut off.

Minoru's expression darkened, "What're you gonna do, kill me in front of them? Better make it count. Better get me in one shot."

Asuka stamped her boot down, "Okay, all of you, shut the fuck up. This is going nowhere fast."

Saki cleared her throat, "She's right, this is getting out of hand. Hachirou-chan, take Masuyo-chan back to her room. Maybe… stay with her and make sure she's okay. We'll deal with him."

Hachirou's gaze flitted between Saki and Minoru for a moment, before sighing with complacency, " _Ti capisco._ I'll be leaving this situation in your… capable hands."

With the volleyball player still silently clinging to him, Hachirou left the lobby. Asuka could hear his grumbles most of the way up the stairs.

Saki cupped her hands to her mouth, "Hey, Monokuma! Are you still hanging around?"

As if he'd been waiting for acknowledgement, the bear in question perked up, flashing a sadistic grin, "How may I be of service?"

"About the rules," she said carefully, "Are there any particular restrictions against… isolating someone? By force?"

Kousuke furrowed his brow, "Yamura-san, that isn't a good idea."

Monokuma replied, "Weeeelllll… Technically there's nothing that goes against it. As long as you don't kill your subject, which may I remind you, I'm not opposed to, then you're more than likely in the clear!"

Saki beamed, "Great."

Asuka said, "You can't seriously be considering this."

Saki grabbed Asuka's hands and stared up into her eyes, "Listen to me, Asuka-chan. Our priority is the safety and protection of everyone. Can't you understand where I'm coming from?"

Asuka frowned.

 _She… isn't wrong? But even so, locking up someone isn't a fucking solution… even if Fujita himself is in danger from Ikeda._

"I don't-"

Kousuke cut in sternly, "This is inhumane. I won't stand for it."

Saki broke away to glare at him, "And which one of us is in charge here?"

"You put _yourself_ in charge!" Asuka cried indignantly.

Kousuke added, "Wanting what's best for everyone is one thing, but this is going too far."

From behind them, Monokuma trilled, "Are you going to argue all night or what? I'd like to turn the lights out again."

Saki clenched her jaw, "We'll be done soon. Look, you two. Being a leader means that sometimes, you have to make a hard decision. And this is the one I've made."

"What if there's-" Kousuke paused a moment- "a fire? How would we get him out in time?"

Saki said, "We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Stay here, I'm going to see if there's rope in the storage room. Asuka-chan, make sure he doesn't run off."

 _Considering he's still standing here, I doubt he plans on it._

Still, to placate the other girl, Asuka walked over so that she was next to Minoru. Under her breath, she whispered, "I'm so fucking sorry about this."

"Don't be," Minoru muttered, his voice muffled slightly by the handkerchief, "It's not your fault."

Saki returned a moment later with a coil of rope in her hands. Without even looking at the rest of them, she tied Minoru's hands behind his back, and led him inside the storage room.

Asuka exchanged a glance with Kousuke. The boy seemed close to enraged. Not that Asuka could blame him, though.

 _This is fucking sickening._

With hesitation in her step, she followed Saki inside, Kousuke on her heels. The confidant had apparently sat Minoru up against the wall in the corner, and was currently rooting through a cardboard box.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Asuka asked.

Saki replied, "Looking for cloth."

 _For wh- Oh. Fuck._

Kousuke seemed to reach the same conclusion as her, "No. You will _not_ gag him. I absolutely refuse to stand for this. I've put up with every other decision you've made so far, but this, all of this, is crossing a line."

Saki crossed her arms, "Then what do _you_ propose we do?"

Kousuke said, "We stop this charade right now and sleep. In the morning, we can have a calm, rational discussion about where to go from here."

"Maybe get some input from everyone else," Asuka added, "Instead of blindly choosing for them."

Saki narrowed her eyes, "Fine. Fine, we'll do it your way. Good night, you two."

Asuka watched the girl leave the storage room. A chill ran down her spine as she did. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Kousuke was coming, only to pause.

His pack was hanging in front of him by one strap, and was open. In his hand, he held a tied up blanket, which he appeared to be unrolling.

"Do you need help with that?" Asuka asked.

Kousuke nodded, "If you wouldn't mind."

She helped him unfold the blanket and lay it over Minoru. The black haired boy managed a smile, "T-Thanks."

"Of course," Kousuke replied, "From what I've observed, it shouldn't get too cold, but you can never be too careful."

Asuka threw in, "We'll get you out of this in the morning."

 _Hopefully._

With that, she and Kousuke left the storage room. The lights had turned off again since they went inside, and the red gleam of Monokuma's eye had vanished.

She glanced at the taller boy, who was barely visible, and asked, "Why do you carry a blanket with you?"

"It's for emergencies," Kousuke replied quietly, "I suppose it was a good thing that I had it with me."

"Yeah…" Asuka murmured.

Kousuke added, "It's not a very large bag, so I really only carry that and some first aid supplies… I'll have to restock, I suppose."

Asuka nodded, "Mm. Uh, good night, Kotara. I'll see you in the morning."

"Indeed. Thank you for being reasonable," Kousuke said, "Oh, before you go…"

Asuka blinked, "What?"

He pressed a metal can into her hands, "Here. In case of a flood, or a rainstorm… It'll waterproof your shoes."

 _...What the fuck?_

"Thanks?" Asuka said, stuffing it into her pocket, "I'll use it. Good night."

"Good night," Kousuke said, waving awkwardly.

Asuka nodded and headed for the staircase, guided by the dim bulbs in the high ceiling. It was dead quiet, save for her echoing footsteps, and the beat of her heart.

She reached her door and twisted the knob. For a moment, she hovered just inside the doorway, then slammed the door and stumbled towards her bed.

Asuka barely managed to kick off her shoes before falling forwards onto the quilt and passing out.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Asuka's eyes snapped open about one second before she rolled off the bed and hit the floor.

She groaned and rubbed her forehead, the weight of the impact causing a dulling pain throughout her.

"Fuck," she muttered, sitting up. Her mouth felt like it had sand inside it.

She gripped the bedpost and got to her feet, wincing. The room was spinning in circles.

 _Deep breaths. You're still fucking alive, so act like it._

With that new determination, Asuka pulled on her shoes and managed to leave her room. She shakily took the left staircase, casting a glance across the lobby at the closed storage room door. A lump formed in her throat.

The restaurant was already open when she arrived, and a few people were inside. Asuka kept her head down until she got to the centre table and sat down with her fellow 'leaders.'

"Did you sleep okay?" Saki asked.

Asuka raised an eyebrow at her. The venom from the night had vanished, but saccharine syrup seemed to drip from her smile.

"It was whatever," she muttered, not ready to have a discussion with her yet.

Asuka kept her eyes trained on the swinging door, watching everyone enter. Most people arrived on their own, but a couple showed up in pairs.

The sensation of sand in her mouth intensified.

After what felt like an eternity, Saki got to her feet and announced, "Good morning, everyone! I h-"

"What the fuck did you do with Fujita?" Hiroki interrupted.

"Forward, aren't we," Saki muttered. Louder, she said, "He's been dealt with."

Kenta exclaimed, "Dealt with? You didn't _kill_ him, did you?!"

Kousuke said carefully, "Of course not. The entire purpose of the three of us being in charge is so that nobody will die. Killing someone, especially over a miscommunication, would defeat the entire purpose."

Ayano said, "But… question. You… you have to answer… sorry." She ducked her head.

"It's fine," Saki said, "He's tied up in the storage room at the moment."

"He's what?" Kazue asked, gripping her wrist, "That's ridiculous."

Hachirou frowned, "What's ridiculous about dealing with a threat to our… society, if you will?"

"It could have been a mistake," Natsumi pointed out.

Shun nodded, "Jumping to conclusions is just as dangerous as being idle."

Itsuki said, "I don't see anything to mistake about the situation."

Kousuke banged his fist on the table, "That's enough. I don't want us to argue any further about the situation. Whether or not it was the right thing to do doesn't matter anymore. The decision has been made."

Awkward silence fell over the restaurant. The felt heavy, as if was filled with lead. Masuyo, who had been silent the entire time, looked as though she might sink into the floor.

Asuka cleared her throat, "Uh, hey. I hate to keep being the one to mention this, but… we need to eat. You four have anything on the go, or…?"

"A-Ah!" Hikari tugged on her gloves, "Chiba-san put m-muffins in the oven earlier. They should b-be finished soon!"

"Cool," Asuka said, scratching the table with her nail. Speaking in front of everyone was weird.

As if on cue, a beeping noise came from beyond the double doors. Hikari, Shun, Hiroki, and Ayano got up from their tables and hurried inside. Asuka leaned back in her seat, relaxing slightly as muted conversation broke out around the room.

Her heart was beating rather fast, and her throat felt a bit tight. Asuka kept her grip on the table, hoping she didn't look strained.

In the next minute, the kitchen doors swung open again. The four were pushing out rattling, metal carts that had trays placed atop them. They split up to cover the restaurant.

Shun arrived at the centre of the room first. He began passing out steaming hot muffins to the three of them, keeping a smile on his face the whole time, despite almost dropping the tray twice.

"Please enjoy! They're Chiba-san's famous apricot and walnut muffins," he said.

Asuka tensed, "Did you say walnut?"

Shun's expression shifted, "I did. Why- Oh! You're not allergic, are you?"

"Unfortunately," Asuka pushed the plate away gingerly, "Sorry. If I eat that, I might die on you."

Shun shook his head, "No, no! We'll make something else. I'm sorry, we didn't get around to conducting a list of allergies and whatnot for everyone. Are you… any of you allergic to anything else?"

"Crab," Asuka muttered, awkwardly folding her arms.

Saki shook her head, but Kousuke said, "I have a rather severe allergy to basil."

Shun nodded and said, "Okay! I'll make sure everyone's aware. We're making a… a chart in the kitchen."

"It's good that you're taking this initiative to keep everyone safe," Saki chirped.

Shun ducked his head, "It's… It's nothing, really. Sorry for the issue, Ishikawa-san. Your food is on the way."

Asuka shrugged, "Don't rush it. I'm in no hurry."

She looked around the restaurant again. Most likely, Saki's 'buddy system' was going to be enforced again, so it was probably best to find an ideal person ahead of time. Unfortunately, Hikari and Masuyo were already in conversation with each other, which ruled out the only people she'd been considering.

However, she didn't end up having to make that decision at all. Above her head, a speaker crackled, and a small screen on the wall lit up to display Monokuma, leaning back in a chair and sipping a martini.

"Attention, attention! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! Would all students please report to the lobby? I have a _beary_ important gift for each of you!"

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the monitor flickered off.

"W-What was that?" Hikari quaked.

Kazue said, "That was… rather peculiar. Why would our captor have a present for us?"

Itsuki huffed, "We shouldn't go. It's obviously some kind of trap."

"But we might get punished if we don't," Natsumi pointed out, "Besides, I think it could be fun!"

Hiroki blinked at her a few times, "Fun? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Guys, don't fight-" Kenta began.

Arata said, "I'm inclined to agree with Ayugai-kun. I can't see anything fun about this game of death."

Ayano squeaked, "Don't call… it's not a game!"

Saki cleared her throat, "Everyone! I think for the time being it's best to listen to what Monokuma has to say. I don't want to risk him harming one of us."

Kousuke nodded, "She's right. Come on, everyone. With any luck, it won't be an issue to our continued survival."

 _Survival…_

Asuka got up from her chair and headed for the door. A few others had already begun making their way out, and the sound of footsteps behind her signified that the rest of the group was following their examples.

 _A gift… couldn't be that bad, right?_

Once she was in the lobby, Asuka stood in front of the desk where Monokuma had appeared prior as everyone filled in the space around her. It wasn't long before the evil laughter she'd quickly come to despise broke the air, and the one responsible popped up on the desk.

"No, no, no!" Monokuma exclaimed, "I said everyone! This includes Finders Keepers."

"I'll get him," Kazue said quickly. She entered the storage room, coming out a moment later with a delirious looking Minoru alongside her.

Monokuma rubbed his paws together, "Okay, now that we have the whole class front and centre… I'd like to preface your gift with a formal apology on my part."

"Apology?" Yumiko frowned, "What did you do?"

Monokuma said, "I haven't been entirely truthful with you all! So, I'd like to remedy that now with a fun little guessing game. Tell me, what do you know about Hope's Peak Academy?"

A few people exchanged glances. Kenta said, "It's… a private high school?"

"For, quote on quote, the most talented students exclusively," Natsumi added.

"I see you've done some homework!" Monokuma exclaimed, "Now for the challenge question. Who here would like to tell me about their favourite memory from the years they spent in attendance at the school?"

From behind, Asuka heard a shaky exhale. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Arata, who was deathly pale and clinging to the arm of the person next to him desperately.

Monokuma prodded, "C'mon, speak up, speak out! This is a pop quiz!"

Shun said, "We… haven't been to Hope's Peak yet. You kidnapped us before we ever had a chance to look around."

"What was the point of this?" Hachirou raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to make a fool out of us?"

Monokuma seemed offended, "I would _never!_ No, I'm assessing your education, and I am reluctant to admit that I, your lovely headmaster, have failed you."

Masuyo frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"It's some kind of fucking trick," Itsuki grumbled.

Monokuma laughed, "Trick? Well, since you're all so convinced of this, I'll reveal the right answer. The truth is, you all have something in common, aside from being students of Hope's Peak Academy."

Kazue said, "And… what would that be?"

Monokuma said, "You're also fellow amnesiacs! The sixteen of you have completely forgotten the last three years of your lives, years you spent as classmates!"

 _...What?_

 _._

 _.._

…

 _.._

 _._

 _WHAT?_

"That's fucking insane!" Asuka retorted, "You can't just say shit like that!"

Hiroki shouted, "What the fuck?!"

"No, no, no…" Ayano desperately rubbed her temples, "No!"

Saki whispered, "This has to be a lie."

Monokuma responded, "I don't like to outright lie to my students. I may bend the truth from time to time, but I would never make something up completely. That isn't becoming of an educator!"

Minoru croaked, "But… missing three years? That doesn't make sense."

Shun nodded, "Wouldn't we notice if we woke up to see that we looked three years older than in the morning?"

"Well, I have access to all sorts of revolutionary technology," Monokuma said, "So it wouldn't be difficult to alter your appearances."

Natsumi frowned, "Is… that so?"

Hachirou scowled, "I don't see the point of telling us this."

"Upupupu… Well, we still haven't had a murder yet! Sure, a bit of blood was spilled last night, but there was no finality, and that's boring! Boring!" Monokuma exclaimed.

Kousuke said, "I don't see the- Oh…"

Monokuma grinned, "Ah, you're on point today, I see! Yes, this information is… a motive. If you kill someone and get away with it, then you'll recieve all your memories back, on top of being allowed to graduate!"

"We'll… what?" Yumiko asked, her brow furrowing, "Are you still serious about this murder game?"

"Of course I am!" Monokuma said, "Why else would I have brought such a talented group of students together?"

Saki pointed directly at Monokuma, "No! Even with your insane method of provocation, nobody here will ever take the life of another! All of us are going to escape this place… as friends."

Monokuma laughed, "I see we have a volunteer for the role of first victim!"

"W-What?!" Saki drew backwards.

Kenta called out, "We shouldn't listen to him! Why should we trust the word of an animatronic bear?"

"Who kidnapped us, no less," Itsuki added.

Monokuma said, "I'm sure at least one of you can. But who's to say? Anyways, I'll leave you all to kill each other now!"

With that message, he vanished.

Asuka stayed rooted to the floor, her head spinning.

 _Three years of missing memories… Killing someone here to have them returned? It's insane._

…

…

 _...But what if I…_

Asuka blinked a few times, returning to reality. The lobby was mostly empty now. Apparently, just about everyone else had run off while she was trapped in thought.

In fact, the only other people were Arata - who was huddled in a ball on the floor against the wall - and Hiroki, who was talking to him. Without thinking too much about it, Asuka approached them.

"Are you like. Sure that you don't need something?" Hiroki asked.

Arata's voice was muffled, "I'm sure."

"You look like shit," Asuka observed, crossing her arms.

Hiroki rubbed his wrist, "I'm not trying to fucking push you, but you look like you're on the verge of passing out."

Arata mumbled, "It's… petty. Petty and childish."

"We're not gonna bully you or anything," Hiroki said, "This isn't fucking primary school."

Arata took a deep breath before finally raising his head, "I'm… afraid of bears."

 _...What?_

"Oh," Hiroki said quietly, "That's… uh, unfortunate."

Arata pushed himself up off the floor and dusted his clothes off, "Quite. I… I'm going to lie down for a bit."

Asuka said, "Don't you need somebody with you?"

"Hardly," Arata muttered, "I really, really don't want to talk about any of this."

With that, he headed for the stairs on shaky legs.

Hiroki huffed, "Guess I'm stuck with you, then."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Hiroki replied, "Yamura yelled at me yesterday for being on my own, and I'm not in the mood to repeat it. I mean, guess her heart's in the right place, but…"

"I get you," Asuka muttered.

 _Am I… going to spend my morning with Ayugai? I'm hungry too…_

"Did you have a plan?" she asked.

Hiroki nodded, "Yeah, actually! C'mon, we're gonna get some fresh air."

With strength that Asuka was surprised he possessed, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside. She absently rubbed her temple with her free hand as the door banged shut behind them.

"Okay! Race you to the bottom of the hill and back!" Hiroki shouted. Asuka barely got a chance to voice her refusal to participate before he took off.

Coughing on the dust he had kicked up, Asuka took a step backwards. If she squinted, she could just barely see him in the distance, no more than a dot on the horizon. After little more than a second, however, he started coming back into view.

When he returned to the top of the hill, Hiroki hadn't broken a sweat, but he was panting ever so slightly.

"How… the _fuck,"_ he began, "did you beat- You didn't move, did you?"

Asuka replied, "No way in hell."

Hiroki ruffled his hair, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. And here… Here I thought you were gonna end up on the list of infamy."

Asuka shuffled, "List of- what? Who the hell else is on that list?"

"Well, my rivals, obviously," Hiroki said, cocking his head, "Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis… The Super High School Level Marathon Runner…"

"The- Who?" Asuka asked.

Hiroki said, "Oh, she's not in our class. I don't even know if she's in our year. But she's probably my biggest rival of all. She wants to be the fastest person alive, and, well, me fucking too!"

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "...I see?"

Hiroki continued, "I mean, I don't think she knows who I am. But that doesn't matter! I'm still her rival."

"Right," Asuka said awkwardly.

 _This conversation is giving me a headache._

Hiroki shrugged, "I guess you're stuck in the pits of mediocrity. That's okay, though, you can be one of my fans instead! I give out autographs on weekends only."

"I, uh-" Asuka glanced around, her eyes stopping at the sight of a smudge near the bottom of the hill, "Who's down there?"

Hiroki replied, "Uchiyama. She's just being boring and reading a book, though."

 _A compulsive liar and a walking migraine… Great choices for company today. Still, I think I grew closer to Ayugai… somehow._

"I might go see how she's doing," Asuka said, taking a few steps away.

Hiroki pouted, "You're gonna leave me all alone? No fair!"

Asuka said, "You can come with me if-"

"No, like I said, that's boring," Hiroki muttered, "I'll just go annoy someone else. Thanks for being one of my fans!"

With that declaration, he sped back inside the hotel.

Asuka shook her head slightly and begun to tread down the hill. Sure enough, Natsumi was sitting cross legged at the bottom, her nose in a small book.

 _I… suppose I'll spend some time with Uchiyama._

As she approached, the blonde raised her head, "Hi, Ishikawa-san. Are you thinking about the motive at all?"

"I'm trying not to," Asuka replied, lowering herself onto the grass.

Natsumi nodded, "Me too. That's why I'm reading this… I need a distraction."

Asuka asked, "What is that, anyways?"

"The Bible," Natsumi responded, turning the page.

Asuka said, "I didn't know you were religious."

"Well, not devoutely," Natsumi said, "But there's a copy in every room, and in these trying times… isn't it best to have something to believe in?"

Asuka tilted her head, "That's a nice way to put it. I don't believe in anything myself, but it's interesting to see other people's perspective. I… I hope your belief pays off."

Natsumi giggled, "Aw, how sweet! You'll have to tell Kanagaki-san that later. I'm not religious at all, but she is."

"What? Then why were you-"

"I was curious about your reaction, so… I lied," Natsumi said, "Also, I have no idea if this book is in every room, since I stole it from Kanagaki-san."

Asuka frowned, "So not only are you a liar, you're also a fucking thief?"

Natsumi shrugged and turned another page, "You have a problem with that? Besides, I could be lying about stealing the book too."

"You're weird," Asuka said.

Natsumi said, "Well, you were the one who decided to come sit with me, weren't you? Doesn't that make you weird too?"

Asuka looked away, staring out at the endless horizon, "Maybe."

 _Did Uchiyama and I grow closer today?_

She leaned back, lying down on the grass and watching the cloudless sky. She wasn't exactly in the mood to keep talking to Natsumi, or to go find someone else, but it was easy to simply lie down in the warm air.

The atmosphere carried a strange silence, one that was almost unsettling. Quiet was peaceful, certainly, but Asuka couldn't help but think that the hush signified death as well.

After what had to have been a few hours, Natsumi said, "I'm going back inside. Are you going to stay here?"

"No, I'm coming," Asuka muttered, carefully getting to her feet.

She staggered up the hill after the girl, relaxing as the gentle air conditioning washed over her again inside. Asuka looked for Natsumi, but the girl was already venturing towards the garden, leaving her by herself.

Though, not for long, as only a moment later, Saki stepped out of the lounge.

"Asuka-chan! Wait… you weren't alone, were you?" she asked, her smile turning to a frown.

Asuka shook her head, "No, I- Aren't _you_ alone?"

Saki brushed her hair off her shoulder, "That's not important. Anyways, I guess you have good timing. Would you mind looking after Fujita for the next little bit?"

"Look after?" Asuka repeated.

Saki sighed, "Not for long. Kazue-chan and Ayano-chan convinced me to let him go at nighttime. I don't know if that's adequate time for him to learn his lesson but I'd rather not go back on my promise."

Asuka looked at the floor, "I still think it was a mistake to tie him up in the first place."

"Now isn't the time to ponder hypotheticals," Saki replied, crossing her arms, "Will you watch him?"

Asuka bit her lip, "Fine, whatever."

Saki smiled softly, "I appreciate it."

Asuka didn't bother responding and instead made her way towards the storage room. Minoru was still leaning against the same wall that he had when he'd been initially tied up.

 _I guess I'll be spending time with Fujita._

Panic in his eyes seemed to subside as he recognized her, "Oh, thank god. I thought you'd be… I don't know, Ikeda-kun."

"Sorry to disappoint," Asuka replied. There was a surplus of cardboard boxes on the left side of the door for some reason. She snatched one of them and flipped it upside down, then placed it next to Minoru. She added, "I heard they're letting you out tonight."

He nodded, "Yeah. About all that… I didn't hurt her. Not purposefully, anyways."

Asuka sat down on the box, "I never actually heard your side. What _did_ happen?"

Minoru said, "I couldn't see a thing in the lobby. I walked into her by accident, but when I tried to help her up… she screamed and broke down. Next thing I know, there's a fist in my face."

Asuka frowned, "That's… odd."

"It was right when I grabbed her hand," Minoru admitted, "So I guess she really hates being touched. Or something."

 _Or something…_

Asuka said, "Well, whatever the reason was, tying you up was bullshit. I don't have a clue what Yamura was thinking."

Minoru sighed, "She was doing what she thought was best. I can't really blame her for trying to keep everyone safe. Do what brings the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people, right?"

"I still think it's stupid," Asuka muttered, "Do… you believe in that- whatever it was you just said?"

Minoru shrugged as best as he could in his position, "Sort of? I mean, it kind of makes sense, but ethics are really complicated. I don't even know if I believe in free will."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Is all choice free? Is the future causally determined? Or are we powerless to affect our own future?" Minoru questioned.

Asuka blinked, "I. Uh…"

Minoru said, "Sorry. There just isn't a lot to think about while stuck in this place."

"No, it's fine, just…" Asuka paused, "I'm not sure myself. I like to think I have free will, but… maybe every choice I ever make has been determined from the start."

"Maybe," Minoru agreed, "There's no way to prove it, though. Not that I know of, anyways. If you figure it out, you should let me know."

Asuka snorted, "Deal."

 _I think I grew closer to Fujita today._

Conversation faded out after that, and the two sat quietly in the dusty room for what felt like both hours and mere seconds. When the door opened again, a soft, dulling ache had worked its way through Asuka.

"Good evening, you two," Kousuke greeted, "Is everything alright?"

Asuka nodded, "Yeah. Is it almost ten?"

"Indeed," Kousuke said, "I've come to untie Fujita-kun before the lights go out."

Minoru let out a sigh of relief.

Asuka got to her feet, "Cool. Can I leave you to handle this?"

Kousuke said, "Certainly. But, one question… Did you end up eating today, Ishikawa-san? You don't look so well."

Asuka froze, "I- no. With the motive, I kind of… forgot."

"That isn't healthy," Kousuke said, "Hurry, grab something before the restaurant is locked for the night."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Okay, Dad. See you two in the morning."

"Bye," Minoru said, as Kousuke waved.

Asuka exited the storage room. She leapt over the wooden desk in front of it, heading for the swinging restaurant doors. It was deserted inside, unsurprisingly.

She walked over to the door to the kitchen itself and stepped inside, realizing in that moment that she'd neglected to actually look in there before. It was a rather standard room- appearing similar to the kitchen of her old high school, though smaller.

A large fruit bowl sat on a silver island near the centre of the room. Asuka went right for it and plucked an apple from it without thinking.

"Hey! It's closing time, so hurry up!" a sinister voice called.

Asuka spun around, ready to hurl the apple at the source, but stopped herself upon sighting Monokuma. Instead, she said, "I was just leaving."

Monokuma grinned, "Careful! You _do_ remember that violence-"

"Against you is strictly forbidden," Asuka finished, "I fucking know. I would have torn you to pieces by now, otherwise."

Monokuma tutted, "Hmph. Language like that is hardly befitting of a student like yourself."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Shut the fuck up."

Ignoring the bear's attempts to continue conversation, she turned tail and left the kitchen, then the restaurant behind. Asuka mindlessly chewed on the apple as she climbed the stairs back up to her room. Above her head, a speaker crackled.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

The lights in the lobby flickered out just as she closed the door to her room.

With a great sigh, Asuka kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto the quilt. A headache was poking at the back of her skull.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and soon, she drifted into what would be the first of many nightmares.


	7. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (3)

" _Now tell me… what exactly have you amounted to?"_

 _A butterfly landed on a nearby spider lily and began to suck nectar from the centre._

" _I'd like an answer."_

 _The butterfly continued to drink, unperturbed by the cold aura surrounding the garden. It only wished to absorb the nutrients that the red flower possessed._

" _Some time today?"_

 _A hand reached out towards the butterfly, slow and creeping._

" _I'll take that as… nothing. A failure through and through."_

 _One of the stubby fingers brushed the bug's wing._

" _How unfortunate for you."_

 _The butterfly burst into flames, and, just as quickly, turned into dust._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

Asuka shot awake. The comforter clung to her skin, a thin layer of sweat on her arms.

 _What the fuck just…_

Already, the dream was fading into the recesses of her brain. She shook her head a few times, as a regrettably recognizable crackle echoed through the room.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Asuka flipped the monitor off.

 _Piece of shit bear._

She slipped on her shoes that she'd left haphazardly in the middle of the floor and ventured out of her room. A couple people were talking in the lobby, but due to the distance, Asuka couldn't make out what they were saying. Her skull felt as if someone was applying intense pressure to it.

"Three years," she whispered, almost unconsciously, "That doesn't just… disappear."

Despite her thoughts, however, she had no way of proving it. Any amount of time could have passed between when she fainted in front of Hope's Peak, to when she woke up at the hotel. Could these people here really be her classmates from those missing years?

 _And… what's going on at home? Is Dad okay? Is… the parlor..._

She shook her head as she reached the lobby. Now was the worst time to think about what was going on with her work. Not the time to think about-

 _Missing finger. Switchblade. Needle and thread. Cigarette smoke. Running out of ti-_

"I-Ishikawa-san?" Ayano's shaky voice broke Asuka from her thoughts, "Are… Erm, ah… You don't look… sorry."

Asuka blinked a couple times, "Uh? No, don't apologize. I'll be okay."

Ayano didn't seem convinced, "Are… sure? Skin is, er, pale…"

Asuka rubbed her wrist, "It's just because of the motive. Y'know, stress and shit. I'm not about to drop dead, no matter what that fucking bear says."

"A-Ah. Sorry…" Ayano murmured, looking at her feet.

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "Enough about me, are _you_ okay? No offence, but you look like hell."

Ayano ran a hand through her hair, "Y-Yes! Just… just… stress! Big, big stress. Motive stress. Should… Go finish with breakfast. B-Bye!"

Asuka waved awkwardly as the small girl ran inside the restaurant.

 _That was weird._

She shrugged and pushed the door open. The restaurant was about half full already, surprisingly. Asuka headed for the centre table. Saki was scribbling furiously in a small notebook, while Kousuke was running a capped pen over something written on his clipboard.

She wondered briefly if she should have grabbed her sketchbook.

However, when she sat down, Saki shoved her notebook into her pocket, "Good morning, Asuka-chan!"

 _Don't call me that,_ Asuka thought automatically. However, all she ended up voicing was, "Morning."

"Hey… If you're upset, you can talk to me!" Saki said, grabbing her hand, "I want to be able to help everyone as best I can."

Asuka tugged it away, "Save it for someone who needs it. I just didn't sleep well."

 _Or someone who_ wants _it._

Kousuke hummed, "I don't think any of us did. But that really can't be helped, when you account for Monokuma's influence. With luck, all of this 'killing game' business will pass."

"You don't think people will try and kill?" Asuka asked.

"Of course they won't!" Saki exclaimed, "Nobody here has any reason to kill anyone!"

 _...Says you._

Kousuke sounded slightly more strained as he responded, "Not exactly. I can't say for certain that there won't be an _attempt._ If we're lucky, we can prevent any… incidents."

Asuka idly scratched at the table, "I see."

 _But what if I…_

The kitchen doors slammed against the wall as they were thrown open. Asuka tensed, her gaze darting towards the sound.

 _I can't keep thinking about this._

Shun and Hiroki were pushing out the metal serving carts again. She lowered her head quickly, trying to calm the sudden rush of adrenaline in her veins.

The squeaking wheels stopped in front of the table within a moment.

Hiroki gave the three of them a wide grin, exposing his missing tooth for a brief moment, "Who's ready for some fresh and sexy bacon, right off the stove?"

Kousuke raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"It's not exactly a fully stocked kitchen, so we're pulling together whatever's there," Hiroki responded, "Chiba was complaining earlier that we have like, no herbs or spices."

Saki asked, "Why… would you need herbs and spices for this?"

Hiroki shrugged, "That's what I said. But anyways, here ya go! Hot and piping and… No, that one's the vegetarian one… There!"

"Thanks," Asuka said, trying to figure out the quickest way to tear off the large clumps of fat without being too obvious.

As Hiroki pushed the cart away, Kousuke whispered, "I still don't understand why those particular adjectives apply to this cut of meat…"

Asuka said, "Don't hurt yourself thinking about it."

She ate around the fat as best as she could, then gently pushed away her chair and stood up. For a moment, she expected to hear Saki chime in with some thing or another, but the brunette was writing furiously in her notebook again, and hadn't even noticed.

Asuka took this opportunity to head for the door. However, the second she placed her hand on it, someone called out to her.

"Ishikawa-kun! Great timing!"

Asuka glanced over her shoulder to see Kenta waving at her. She raised an eyebrow, "Timing for _what?"_

Kenta said, "I need assistance, and you're right here… so…"

 _Should I spend time with Hasekura?_

"I guess I could try and help?" Asuka shrugged, "What are you doing?"

Kenta replied, "I'm gonna try climbing down the cliffside, and it would be beneficial to have a spotter."

 _What the hell?!_

"Uh," Asuka responded, "I could do that, I guess."

Kenta gave her a thumbs-up, "Nice! Meet me outside, okay? I'll get some rope from the storage room. "Sure?" Asuka said, pushing on the door to escape from the conversation.

 _The fuck did I just agree to do…_

Asuka let out a quiet sigh and made her way outside the hotel. It was another brilliantly sunny day without a single cloud, which only served to make her throat tighten.

Where the hell were they?

The loud bang of the front doors alerted her to Kenta's arrival. Asuka waved at him, and he flashed another bright grin. She strolled over to where he was standing; one of the pillars that held the hotel up. Kenta was currently securing one end of the rope around it.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" she asked, watching as he tied the other end into a knot around his waist.

Kenta said, "You just need to feed me rope so I can keep climbing down. It shouldn't be too difficult!"

 _It better fucking not be._

Asuka reached down and heaved the coils over her shoulder, "Okay. Let me know when you're ready."

Kenta nodded, "Affirmative! I just need to… there!" He tugged on the rope a few times. When it didn't budge, he approached the side of the cliff.

Asuka averted her eyes briefly as he began to climb down. The view downwards was enough to make her vision swim as it was. No point in making herself anymore nauseous than she needed to be.

Slowly, she began feeding Kenta the rope, carefully keeping a steady rhythm so not to dump all the line at once.

However, the rope was not as long as she initially thought, and after what couldn't have been more than ten minutes, she shouted, "Hasekura! That's it! You're out of luck!"

Kenta's voice sounded vaguely muted likely due to the distance, "Damn! Okay… I'll be back up soon."

Asuka tugged on the rope as he climbed back up, but didn't dare glance over the side until the blue haired boy was back up over the side, and sitting on the grass.

"Shit," he muttered, "And here I thought that might actually work. Sorry to have wasted your time."

Asuka shrugged, "Not like I have anything else to do besides sit around and die. Did you notice anything… helpful? At all?"

Kenta said, "I don't think so. Even though I climbed down super far, when I looked down, there were still hundreds and hundreds of feet below. I'd wager that we have… no chance of reaching the ground. Unless we find more rope, but even then."

 _I… really wouldn't fucking bother, if I were you._

"I'm surprised you're not a rock climber, considering that performance," she opted to say instead of voicing her thought.

Kenta shrugged, "I never really had an interest in geology."

Asuka blinked, "What does geology have to do with rock climbing?"

"Well, most things," Kenta said, "In my experience, one becomes better at what they do if they have intimate knowledge of all the items involved. That's actually why I got into tree climbing, because biology is really cool!"

Asuka said, "I didn't take you for a science nerd."

Kenta rubbed his neck, "Well, it's just kind of a side thing. It's not my main passion, not even close."

"I wasn't saying it was a bad thing," Asuka said, "Just unexpected."

Kenta smiled, "No, no, I get it! I'm not smart enough to be fully invested with it, is all."

The light didn't seem to reach his eyes. Asuka tried to change the subject, "Uh, so… I don't really know a lot about trees? Can you tell me something cool?"

Kenta clasped his hands, "Can I! Trees actually don't die of old age, you know. They can live to be thousands of years old!"

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yeah!" Kenta exclaimed, "The oldest tree in Japan alone is eighteen hundred years old. It's on Yakushima… I'd love to see it in person someday."

"Damn," Asuka said, "What about oldest in the world?"

Kenta tilted his head, "Right now, the oldest living tree is over five thousand years old. It's somewhere in America, so it'd be a _really_ long way to travel, but…"

"I take it that it's your dream to go there?" Asuka finished.

Kenta grinned sheepishly, "Yeah. Someday. When we get out of this place."

"When we get out of this place…" Asuka echoed quietly.

 _I think Hasekura and I grew closer today._

Asuka stayed outside for a while longer, idly chatting with Kenta as the sun rose higher into the sky. After some time, she said, "Hey, I think I'll head back in. I'm getting hungry."

 _And I really need to make up for hardly eating yesterday…_

Kenta replied, "Sure thing! I'll be out here a bit longer if you need me. I could use some vitamin D."

Asuka waved awkwardly as she headed back into the hotel. She let out a sigh she didn't know she was holding when she stepped back into the air conditioning.

Near the stairs, Saki and Yumiko were chattering. Asuka's eyes glazed over them, focusing on the movement she noticed out of the corner of her vision.

Hikari was carrying what looked to be a full watering can in the direction of the garden. Asuka reached out her arm in hopes of calling out to her, but the small girl entered the wooden door before she could get a word out.

 _I'll have to catch up with her later… After I eat._

Asuka made for the restaurant. It was empty, save for Shun and Ayano, who were having some kind of conversation at a far table. She couldn't pick out any traces of their voices, but both of them were making almost animated hand gestures.

She shook her head.

 _Stay focused. You_ need _to eat, idiot._

She slipped into the kitchen. The bowl of fruit she had taken from the night before sat on the counter, full and inviting. Asuka reached into it and pulled a banana free, then paused at the sight of the other person in the room.

"Kotara?" she asked, "What are you doing?"

Kousuke jumped and turned around, relaxing as he saw her, "Ah, Ishikawa-san. I didn't realize you were in here. I just… wanted something to eat."

 _Doesn't explain why you were staring into space, but whatever…_

"Me too," Asuka said, peeling the banana with a raised eyebrow, "Are you busy?"

Kousuke adjusted his glasses, "Not any more than I should be."

 _I guess I should spend time with Kotara._

She wasn't sure why she hadn't predicted it, but 'hanging out' with Kousuke meant sitting on the counter quietly while he wrote miniature essays on his clipboard.

A banana and a half later, Kousuke broke the silence that had fallen over them, "Excuse me, Ishikawa-san? If it's not too invasive, could I ask you a couple questions?"

"Sure?" Asuka responded, "Why?"

Kousuke said, "I'm conducting a small survey to assess everyone's personal health, so we can take the necessary precautions and ensure survival. That being said, would you consider yourself to be in good health?"

 _Starting off great…_

Asuka said, "I'm not the pinnacle of healthy living, but I'd say I'm okay."

Kousuke stopped writing for a moment, "I… see."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Asuka replied, pushing away her half eaten banana with unease.

"Forgive me," Kousuke said, "I was just thinking back to how you passed out on the day we all arrived here."

Asuka absently fiddled with her earring, "I… I have weak lungs. Happy now?"

Kousuke said softly, "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to pry. Your privacy outweighs any concerns I might have."

Asuka looked at the floor, "No, I don't care _that_ much. It's just fucking embarrassing. Can't go into the damn city without an inhaler."

 _Can barely leave my house…_

Kousuke wrote something down on his clipboard, "Ah. Still, I'm sorry for bothering you about it. In the future… if there's anything you need to talk about, both Yamura-san and myself are here to listen."

Asuka said, "Thanks, but I don't know either of you well enough for that. No offence."

"None taken," Kousuke said, staring off into the distance, "None at all…"

 _I didn't mean for this to happen, but… Kotara and I grew a little closer today. I think._

After another bout of slightly stiffer silence, Kousuke said, "I need to take off. I have some preparations to ready. Take care, Ishikawa-san."

"You too," Asuka said, nodding her head to him as he left the room.

She waited for a moment, staring at her nails, before grabbing the unfinished banana and throwing it into a small compost bin next to the sink. For a moment, Asuka twitched. Then, she quickly spun on her heels and left the kitchen.

In the main part of the restaurant, Arata was typing something furious on his typewriter, while Hiroki seemed to be blabbering at him. Asuka wasn't in the mood to engage with a portable headache, and quickly hurried out the door before either of them had a chance to notice her.

Unfortunately, she didn't manage to take more than two steps into the lobby before walking into someone. Asuka stumbled, spitting out a curse, before regaining her balance.

"S-Sorry, Ishikawa-san!" Shun said, holding his hands up and backing away, "I didn't see you there."

 _No shit._

Asuka rubbed her forehead, "It's fine. Are you okay?"

Shun nodded, fiddling with the drawstring on his hoodie, "I am. Um, really though, I didn't mean to do that."

"I said it was fine," Asuka replied, raising an eyebrow.

 _Should I spend some time with-_

"Well, sorry to trouble you," Shun cut into her thoughts, "but I need to go! See you around!" With that, he pushed into the restaurant.

Asuka stared at the swinging doors for a second, before sighing and turning around. No point in chasing after him. Instead, she glanced out the thin windows near the hotel's door. It was hard to see, but the sun seemed to be going down.

 _Maybe I'll just retire early…_

She headed for the staircase and climbed it quickly. However, before she could walk down the hall to her room, she spotted someone sitting on the ground with their knees to their chest and their head down.

"Kanagaki?" she questioned.

Kazue raised her head, looking apologetic, "Oh. I hadn't expected anyone to see me here."

Asuka replied, "You're in the middle of the hallway."

"Fair point," Kazue said, getting to her feet.

 _I could spend some time with Kanagaki…_

Asuka said, "Do you want to kill some time? Since it's not nighttime just yet."

Kazue blinked, "I- If it's not a trouble to you. How about we… enter my room, though?"

Asuka shrugged, "Sure, I don't care."

The taller girl opened a nearby door and gestured for Asuka to enter. Kazue's room wasn't much different than her own, the only difference being the colour of the furnishings.

"Er, you can sit down, if you'd like," Kazue said awkwardly.

With nowhere else besides the floor, Asuka lowered herself onto the bed. Kazue leaned against the wall. Neither of them spoke for a good minute.

Kazue suddenly said, "I should have figured out something we could discuss. I'm sorry, I didn't think you… or anyone, actually, would want to talk with me."

Asuka blinked, "Why?"

Kazue raised an eyebrow, hesitating a long moment before speaking, "I've killed people, Ishikawa. You don't spend a year overseas as a sharpshooter without getting blood on your hands."

 _...Oh._

"I never thought about that," Asuka said.

Kazue chuckled bitterly, "You don't have to try and make me feel better. I know what I've done and I have my regrets. But in this… sickening killing game, it's expected that people would distrust me. I don't take offence to it."

Asuka shrugged, "I wasn't trying to ease your feelings. Considering the circumstances, I think it's more reasonable to be suspicious of everyone."

Kazue idly played with the ends of her hair, "That's an interesting perspective. I'll have to keep that in mind."

There was another strange pause.

"May I ask you something?" Kazue sounded apprehensive.

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "Sure?"

Kazue said, "It's just… regarding your talent. And your tattoos… It's-"

"It's just art," Asuka interrupted, "Ink and self-expression. It's _different_ but not dangerous."

Kazue fiddled with the dial on her watch, "I see. Sorry to get under your skin like that."

Asuka looked away, "I get asked that a lot. Don't worry about it."

 _I'm so fucked…_

Kazue opened her mouth to say something else, when an unforgettable crackle pierced the air.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Academy's Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

Asuka got to her feet, "I should get going, then. See you in the morning, Kanagaki."

Kazue nodded, "You too."

 _I… think I grew closer with Kanagaki today._

Asuka hurried back to her own room, a familiar burning sensation irritating her throat. The second she was back inside, she ran into her bathroom.

It was small, but she could hardly bring herself to care as she leaned on the sink and tried to regulate her breathing.

"Hell," she murmured, looking up at the glass that showed her face.

For a moment, she stared at her gaunt eyes, before vomiting into the sink. Her throat burned as the remains of the food she'd choked down came back up. When her stomach was emptied, she glanced at her reflection in the dirty mirror and scowled. "Get a _grip_ on yourself," she whispered breathlessly, "You stupid bitch."

Her reflection didn't answer.

Asuka ran the faucet for a few minutes to wash down the chunks, and hopefully dispel the ugly scent that had begun to waft through the room. Then, with the taste of bile still in her mouth, she staggered towards the bed and collapsed.

 _Fucking… failure…_

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"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Asuka rolled over and scowled at the ceiling, "Bitch."

Without taking much consideration, she threw herself off the bed and made her way out. She reached the hallway before she realized that she'd apparently slept in her shoes.

Whatever. Not like it mattered.

Kousuke and Saki were standing in front of the restaurant as Asuka approached it. Both of them looked significantly more tired than usual.

Saki smiled, "Good morning, Asuka-chan! How are you feeling?"

"I've been worse," she said, trying to avoid looking her in the eye.

"Ah, I see," Saki said gently, "If you ever need to talk, let me know! I'm always willing to listen."

Asuka stifled a yawn, "I- Sure. Why are we standing here?"

Kousuke said, "Monokuma hasn't opened the restaurant doors yet. There's nothing we can do until then."

"Upupupu! Haven't you heard the saying, 'ask and ye shall receive'?"

Asuka spun around, already scowling, "What the fuck do you want?"

Monokuma feigned shock, "Now, now! No need to be so harsh on your lovely headmaster. I'm just here to unlock the restaurant doors. Unless you'd _rather_ starve yourselves."

Asuka clenched her first.

 _Piece of shit._

Saki sighed, "Will you please open the door?"

Monokuma grinned, "Now see here! This is the kind of respect I deserve and fully appreciate. Shazibby!"

Kousuke blinked, "What was that for?"

"Unbelievable," Monokuma scoffed, " _That_ was unlocking everything, Clipboard! Kids these days…"

Kousuke crossed his arms. The offending accessory wasn't present, but he seemed ruffled just the same.

Saki grit her teeth, "Thank you, Monokuma."

The bear giggled, "You're very welcome! Upupupu!"

Asuka rolled her eyes and pushed one of the doors open, "Let's get this over this."

Her throat still felt sore.

Kousuke and Saki exchanged a nod and stepped inside. Asuka followed them to the centre table and slumped down.

 _How many days now…?_

Kousuke said, "Ah, remind me to give an announcement once everyone arrives."

Asuka leaned forward to see him past Saki, "About what?"

"Nothing important," he clarified, "Just something regarding our personal safety and health."

Asuka returned to her previous position, remembering the survey he had brought up the day prior, "Gotcha."

She watched as people filtered into the restaurant, admittedly at a slower pace than usual. From the bags that hung under everyone's eyes, nobody had slept particularly well.

"Not everyone's arrived," Kousuke remarked, as Hikari and Ayano pushed steaming carts out of the kitchen, "I wonder what's going on?"

"Who are we missing?" Saki questioned.

Asuka took a cursory glance around, "I don't see Ayugai or Asari."

Kousuke said, "I saw Ayugai-kun come in, but not Asari-kun. I wonder what's keeping him…"

Asuka felt a pit forming in her stomach, "I wonder…"

The cart came to a stop at their table. Asuka leaned forward on the table.

Hikari gave the three of them a bright smile, "G-Good morning, everyone! I-I've prepared omelettes for everyone to e-eat today."

Saki replied, "Thank you so much, Hikari-chan! They smell lovely."

Asuka nodded, then snapped her fingers, "Oh, Matsumoto!"

Hikari looked up, her gloved hand frozen in midst of handing Kousuke his omelette, "What's t-the m-matter, Ishikawa-san?"

"Is Asari in the kitchen?" she asked, tilting her head.

Hikari set down the plate she was holding, "N-No… We haven't s-seen him at all today. Usually he comes i-in with Chiba-san, but…"

Asuka said carefully, "Ah, don't worry about it. It's probably nothing."

"R-Right," Hikari said, passing an omelette down to her.

Asuka awkwardly sliced off some of the egg and brought it to her mouth. She could hardly stand to swallow it. Still, she tried to eat, as much as it made her feel sick. No point in upsetting the people who had taken the time to make it.

More time passed, but the door to the restaurant didn't open. Dread piled in Asuka's gut.

Kousuke got to his feet, "Excuse me, everyone! This is very important! Have any of you seen Asari-kun at all today?"

Ayano squeaked, "A-Ah! Usually… but forgot… nerves and oversleeping, a-and… help."

"What I think she's saying is she usually wakes up Asari?" Hiroki closed one eye. When he got a nod from the girl, he continued, "But she overslept today and forgot."

Ayano nodded and lowered her head, "S-Sorry… D-Didn't mean to…"

Kousuke shook his head, "Well, we can't proceed until he's here. I'll fetch him myself."

Yumiko put up a hand, "You're not planning on going alone, are you?"

Kousuke replied, "I hadn't thought of that. In that case, would one of you-"

"I'll come with you," Kazue said, getting out of her chair.

Kousuke smiled and headed for the door with her on his heels, "Wonderful. We will be back as soon as we can."

With that, the two left the restaurant.

Asuka awkwardly shoved more scraps of egg into her mouth. She absently swayed back and forth in her seat, poking at the plate, when a horrified screech pierced the air.

Dead silence fell over the restaurant. Asuka exchanged a glance with Saki, who had fear creeping onto her face.

"E-Everyone!" Saki called out, "S-Stay c-calm!"

Panicked discussion broke out among the tables. A few people burst into tears.

"P-Please, t-there's no need to… to w-worry!" Saki tried to assure people.

Asuka threw herself out of her seat and ran for the door. She heard a cascade of footsteps behind her, heavy thumps that masqueraded the beating of her heart.

 _This… this can't…_

She shoved the door open, then fell still at what awaited her in the lobby.

He lay on the ground, curled up in a small ball, face twisted in pain. Blood and vomit soaked his face and clothes, and covered the floor. His face had gone completely white. Blood matted his hair, which had fallen over his eyes.

Kousuke Kotara was dead.

 **15 STUDENTS REMAIN.**


	8. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (4)

What would you do if you discovered a corpse?

Most people have never considered this. Nor do they have much of a reason to. After all, people living normal, average lives have no reason to even speculate upon this. The people who _have_ thought about this often say they would be shocked, but be able to keep their composure.

But that's hardly true. Scream… cry… faint… Reactions in that vein are far more common.

Of course, there is no way to be certain. Humans are volatile creatures.

Faced with something like that…

…

...What would _you_ do?

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Asuka's vision blurred. For what felt like eternity, she stared at Kousuke's corpse as the world grew fuzzier.

 _What… the… fuck…_

Then, Monokuma's sickeningly cheerful voice rung throughout the lobby.

"A body has been discovered! After a free period, which you can spend however you like, the class trial will begin!"

Itsuki choked out, "The fucking _what_ will begin?!"

As if he was waiting for a cue, Monokuma popped up out of nowhere, standing on the desk in front of the storage room.

Natsumi asked, "What are you forcing us into now?"

Monokuma giggled, "This is the fun part! I've been waiting for this ever since I brought you here!"

"You sick freak!" Masuyo cried, "What did you do to Kotara-kun?!"

"I didn't do anything!" Monokuma replied, "No, Kotara-kun was murdered by one of you, without a doubt."

Arata said shakily, "But… we don't _know_ that. You might be trying to cover your-"

Monokuma huffed, "You bastards have no faith in your lovely headmaster! Fine, I, Monokuma, solemnly swear to you all that I will never personally interfere with a murder. I'll even make it a rule, if that will assure you."

"Nothing about this _assures_ me!" Asuka yelled, finally tearing her eyes away from Kousuke, "Someone just fucking _died,_ and now you're making us play another deranged game?!"

"This was always part of the game," Monokuma said simply, "I just… neglected to mention this part. It makes it all the more fun!"

"What are you talking about?" Shun asked. Asuka blinked and turned to see him standing on the last stair before the lobby floor, looking dumbfounded.

Minoru added, "What on earth is a class trial?"

Monokuma said, "Well, it wouldn't be fair if we let our culprits escape after just offing a classmate! No, the rest of you get a chance to uncover their conniving plots. That's what the class trial is."

 _...Oh god._

"I'll allow a brief investigation period after a body is officially discovered," Monokuma continued, "And then, all of you will have to debate your findings. It's a face off between the blackened and the spotless!"

Yumiko asked, "So we… have to solve Kotara-kun's murder? What happens to the person who killed him?"

Monokuma said, "If you can uncover the one who disturbed the peace, then I will punish them and then alone. If you don't… then everyone _else_ will be punished, and the culprit who deceived you all will be allowed to graduate!"

Hiroki called out, "The fuck is this punishment shit you keep bringing up? What're we gonna do, sing soprano for you and cut your nails?"

The bear's red eye gleamed, "Bluntly put… Execution."

"E-Execution?!" Ayano blanched, "Y-Y-You'll… bad! Bad bear…!"

Monokuma cackled, "You don't know the half of it, Seaweed! But you're correct… I am a _very_ bad bear."

Hachirou pushed his glasses up, "You are truly an insidious _bæst._ How long do you intend to drag out this suffering?"

"I'm only just getting started," Monokuma promised, "But I've wasted enough time talking! If each of you would care to glance at your E-Handbooks, you'll notice one last present from me."

"Present?" Kazue croaked.

"Most of you don't have any experience with corpses," Monokuma said, "So after each murder, I'll give all of you a Monokuma File… It's a little summary of what's what with the body!"

Asuka reached into her vest pocket for the small device. In truth, she'd forgotten that she was even carrying it. Sure enough, there was a new tab on it. Her heart skipped as she tapped on it.

 **Monokuma File #1**

Well, he hadn't been lying about that part, at least.

"Good luck!" Monokuma sang, before jumping behind the desk and presumably vanishing into thin air again.

"Um, everyone!" Saki exclaimed, making her way to the front of the crowd, "Before w-we get too… involved in this, I think we should appoint someone to… look after Kousuke-chan."

"Why?" Masuyo asked.

Kenta bit his lip, "Because otherwise, the culprit would be able to destroy any evidence they liked."

"Exactly," Saki said, "Would anyone like to-"

Kazue said, "I can do it."

Itsuki said, "It can't just be you. Someone with a monopoly on the crime scene is just as dangerous as leaving it unguarded."

"Then why don't you join her?" Arata questioned.

Itsuki snapped, "Don't you fucking tell me what to-"

"P-Please don't fight!" Hikari cried, pushing her way out of the crowd, "Kotara-san wouldn't want this! H-He'd want us to all work together."

"She's right… We shouldn't disrespect him by fighting," Yumiko said softly.

Hikari nodded, "Yes, e-exactly. I can s-stay with Kanagaki-san. I don't m-mind."

"Thank you. Okay, let's all work together… for Kousuke-chan's sake," Saki said, tears gleaming in her eyes.

 _I have to find out who killed him… I'm not going to die so easily!_

Asuka looked back down at the Monokuma File, as the sound of footsteps echoed around her. The first thing that came up was a diagram of his corpse, followed by a chunk of text.

 **Victim: Kousuke Kotara, SHSL Emergency Planner**

 **Time of Death: approximately 9:20AM.**

 **The body was found in the lobby, just outside the restaurant. Cause of death is cardiac arrest. The body shows signs of asphyxia. There are signs that the victim was hit in the back of the head once with a blunt object. The only other external damage is severe bruising around the stomach.**

Her throat felt tight upon reading it.

 _Kotara… What happened? You just walked out the door…_

The other thing that caught her attention was the 'Rules' tab of the handbook, which had a small blue dot on it. Asuka tapped it.

 **Rule 7: When three or more spotless students discover a corpse for the first time, the Body Discovery Announcement will play.**

 **Rule 8: Once a corpse is discovered, as indicated by the aforementioned announcement, a class trial will begin shortly after. All surviving students must attend.**

 **Rule 9: If the blackened culprit is exposed during the trial, only they will be executed.**

 **Rule 10: If the blackened culprit is not exposed during the trial, all remaining students will be executed, and the culprit will graduate.**

 **Rule 11: Monokuma will never personally interfere with a murder.**

 **Rule 12: Additional regulations may be added if necessary.**

 _I guess this is good for reference…_

Asuka looked back up, shoving her handbook back in her pocket. Kazue was crouched next to the body, one hand awkwardly touching his shoulder. Hikari stood a little bit further away, her shoes barely brushing the expanse of bloody vomit on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Asuka asked, raising her eyebrow at the sharpshooter.

Kazue didn't look up, "I'm no medical examiner, but I doubt anyone else has much… experience looking at corpses. I want to see if this 'Monokuma File' is truthful."

"Ah," Asuka took a step back, "Good luck with that. Can I ask you a couple things when you're finished?"

"Sure, that's fine," Kazue said, grimacing slightly.

Hikari asked, "D-Do you need help?"

Kazue shook her head, "I've dealt with worse. It's merely… unhygienic."

Asuka wandered over towards the smaller girl, "Matsumoto? Can I ask a couple things?"

"O-Of course," Hikari responded, looking up, "What i-is it?"

Asuka frowned, "Are you okay? You don't look too well."

Hikari tugged her hat down, "I'm hemophobic. I'll b-be okay, I promise."

"Why volunteer to be on guard, then?" Asuka asked.

Hikari said, "I w-wanted to avoid a fight… a-and I didn't think I'd b-be very useful, otherwise."

 _Well now I feel bad for asking._

"What d-did you want to know?" Hikari tilted her head.

Asuka said, "Did you notice anything… out of the ordinary this morning? Like while making breakfast?"

She shrugged, "N-Not really? When I got t-to the kitchen, Ayugai-san was already there, d-digging through the fridge. Chiba-san arrived right a-after I did."

"Did you pay any attention to Kotara?" Asuka asked.

Hikari shook her head, "I d-didn't have a reason to."

 _That's true…_

"Thanks," Asuka said, "I appreciate your help."

Hikari smiled, "Y-You're welcome!"

 _Even if it wasn't very useful… I don't want to make her cry._

"Ishikawa," Kazue's voice broke in, "I'm done for the time being, if you still have questions for me."

 _Why would I stop having them?!_

Asuka made her way back to where she was crouching, "So, how does what the bear said hold up?"

Kazue stood up, "I hate to admit it, but I don't see any discrepancies."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Asuka replied, "So we can trust this weird file?"

Kazue frowned, "I don't like the idea of believing what our captor says. There's no telling what he might try to pull."

 _I guess…_

"Did you see anything else helpful?" Asuka asked.

"Well, the blood around his head wound is completely dry, whereas the rest is-" Kazue looked down at her stained boots- "rather fresh."

Asuka screwed up her nose, "No fucking kidding. Uh, hey. Can I ask about what happened when…"

Kazue sighed, "I knew this was coming. What I saw when Kotara died, correct?"

"Yeah," Asuka said.

Kazue gripped her wrist, "We exited the restaurant, and I made the notion to go to Asari's room. Kotara agreed, but before we even reached the stairs, he said he felt sick."

Asuka nodded, "Then what?"

"He was rubbing his forehead and hyperventilating," Kazue continued, "when he suddenly doubled over and began vomiting. Blood came up, and he started to stagger… Then fell to the floor."

 _Kotara…_

"I tried to take his pulse, and found nothing. That's when Asari and I screamed," she finished.

Asuka frowned, "Asari?"

Kazue said, "I didn't notice him until that point, but he was standing on the stairs when Kotara fell."

Asuka glanced at the stairs. Shun was still sitting there, looking around. She murmured, "I'll… have to ask him about what happened too."

"Have fun with that," Kazue said.

Asuka nodded and headed for the smaller boy. Before she could get too far, however, she turned around and examined the scene as a whole.

Her eyes watered treacherously as she stared at Kousuke again, lying in vomit and bright red blood.

 _...Bright red?_

Asuka frowned and bit her lip. The strange colour aside, she couldn't help but feel that something important was missing from the scene, though she had no idea what.

With that thought weighing on her mind, Asuka turned her attention back to Shun. He was exchanging hand gestures with Ayano, who was sitting a couple stairs higher, again.

"Oi, you two," Asuka said, cocking her head, "I've got some questions."

Shun turned to face her, "Ah… Okay. What is it?"

 _The hell do you think?!_

"Where were you this morning?" Asuka asked, trying to keep her voice level, "You were at least half an hour late."

Shun fiddled with his hoodie drawstring, "I slept in. I have… problems waking up in the morning. Usually Chiba-san makes sure I'm up, but…"

"Sorry," Ayano said softly, gripping her ponytail, "D-Didn't mean to…"

Shun looked up at her, gesturing as he spoke, "Don't apologize. I'm not mad at you."

Ayano blinked, then smiled weakly.

Asuka coughed, "Uh, anyways. Kanagaki told me she saw you around the time Kotara… died. Did you see what happened?"

Shun shrugged, "Kind of? I came down the stairs just in time to see Kotara-san fall into his own vomit."

"Nothing before that?" Asuka questioned.

 _Maybe… an attack?_

He shook his head, "No. B-But after he fell… Kanagaki-san grabbed his wrist. Right after that was when we both screamed. Does that help?"

 _Not really._

Asuka nodded, "I think it might. What about you, Chiba? See anything useful?"

Ayano froze, a deer in the headlights look in her eyes, "U-Uh… Kotara-kun… lobby. But n-night…"

"What?" Asuka frowned.

Ayano glanced at Shun and made a few rapid gestures with her hands.

Shun said, "She's saying she saw Kotara-san in the lobby last night, after nighttime officially began."

 _How can you… never mind._

"And he- really?" Shun tilted his head, apparently waiting for clarification, "And he was writing something on his clipboard, while standing near the garden."

Ayano nodded, "Was strange… But didn't... see m-m-me."

 _Huh. I wonder what all that was about._

"Thanks for talking to me," Asuka said, "I might be back later, though."

"We'll try not to go far," Shun said.

Ayano waved her hand without saying anything more.

Asuka nodded and took a few steps away from them, resting near the elevator that lay under the balcony. She tilted her head and flicked her earring, frowning to herself.

 _What the hell should I do now?_

A noise from behind her caught her attention, and she turned, only to almost be hit by an opening door. Itsuki stumbled out of it, scowling as per usual.

"Christ!" she yelped, taking a step back, "Hey, Yamasaki, watch what you're doing!"

Itsuki raised an eyebrow, "Watch where you're standing."

"You could have knocked me out!" Asuka protested.

Itsuki replied, "Don't stand right in front of doors, then."

 _Prick._

Asuka scrutinized him for a moment, "Why is your hair wet?"

Itsuki grumbled, "I was washing my face. Why the fuck do you care?"

Asuka glanced at the room he had just come out of. Sure enough, it was marked with 'bathroom.' She rolled her eyes, "I'm just trying to cover all I can. Did you see anything important recently? That might help?"

"No," Itsuki said, "Did you?"

"I-" Asuka blinked, "What?"

"Well, it's not fair if you're the only one getting interrogated," Itsuki said, raising an eyebrow, "Or do you have something to hide?"

Asuka crossed her arms, "What would I be hiding? I'm trying to avoid _dying,_ dipshit."

Itsuki said, "Well, maybe you're Kotara's killer. In that case, you have everything to gain by keeping secrets."

Asuka lowered her voice, staring him right in the eyes, "I'm not a murderer."

Itsuki looked down at her arms, then met her steely gaze with a glower of his own, "Could've fooled me."

With that, he stomped off towards where Kousuke's body lay.

Asuka stood still for a moment, an odd chill running down her spine.

 _What the hell was all that about?!_

"I need to get out of here," she murmured.

Asuka headed towards the restaurant, as that was the place everyone had been gathered prior to the incident.

Her stomach twisted as she made her way to the door. It almost felt as if Kousuke had been gone for much longer than half an hour.

Almost as if he had never been alive in the first place.

Asuka closed her eyes as she walked by him and pushed her way inside.

Hiroki was lying on the floor, making motions akin to that of creating a snow angel. Asuka stared blankly for a moment, all other thoughts gone from her head.

"...What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

Hiroki instantly sprung to his feet, "Investigating! Obviously. What else would I be doing?"

Asuka sighed, "I have no idea. Are you alone in here?"

"Of course not, you're here," Hiroki replied, "Oh, but Takishida's poking around in the kitchen. I'm just 'covering all the bases.'"

"Smart," Asuka murmured, glancing around. The room seemed in disarray.

Hiroki grinned, "You think so? Well, it was Ta- my idea! Definitely my idea. Haha."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "Okay. Can I ask you about your movements this morning?"

Hiroki shrugged, "I guess? I rolled off my bed ten minutes before the announcement to do my morning stretches. I started by doing ten lunges on each-"

"No, no, stop," Asuka broke in, "That's not what I meant."

Hiroki's expression deflated, "Oh… My bad."

 _Guess I should make questions geared towards him more specific…_

Asuka said, "I want to know about what you saw this morning. Like, something that might relate to this whole mess."

Hiroki scratched his neck, "Well, I was the first one to show up in the kitchen. I wasn't paying attention to Kotara, though."

"Anything else?" Asuka asked, trying to press him for information.

Hiroki said, "Not really. I was looking around for some inspiration when Matsumoto showed up. And we figured out that we were gonna make omelettes when Chiba walked in. Asari never arrived, so we were all pulling double duty."

 _That matches up with everything Matsumoto told me…_

Asuka nodded to him, "Thanks for clarifying. I'm gonna check out the kitchen."

"Have fun!" Hiroki said.

Asuka turned and took a few steps, when she heard what she assumed to be Hiroki lying back down on the floor. She shook herself and headed for the kitchen doors.

The sprinter had been true to his word - Arata was investigating the kitchen's pantry. Asuka didn't see a point to disturbing him and strolled through, giving the room a cursory glance.

As she approached the sink, her gaze was caught by the clear compost bin next to it. Asuka stopped and lifted the lid. It was empty, save for the banana peels she had deposited the day before, and a couple five segmented leaves in a spiral arrangement.

 _What the hell?_

…

 _...Where's my sketchbook when I need it?_

"Hey, Takishida!" Asuka called over her shoulder, "Do you have a pen or something?"

There was a loud sound, as if he'd bumped his head on something, "Eaugh! Ishikawa-san! How long have you been standing there?"

Asuka turned to see him rubbing his head and said, "I just got here. Do you have a pen or not?"

Arata dug into his breast pocket, then chucked a pen at her. Asuka only barely managed to catch it in mid air, nearly throwing it to the floor.

 _Nice going, idiot._

She turned back around and quickly scrawled one onto the palm of her hand. When she finished, she looked back up and asked, "Have you seen anything that might be helpful?"

Arata nodded, "Actually, yes! Come here."

 _Finally!_

Asuka hurried over to where he was standing, careful not to close her fist and smudge the ink, "What?"

Arata pointed at a piece of paper that was tacked to the refrigerator door, "It looks like a list that details the dietary requirements of everyone here."

"Right, I remember Asari talking about it," Asuka said, taking a look at it, "Thank you."

 _Maybe it's not as groundbreaking as I thought..._

"See!" Arata exclaimed, "I _can_ be useful!"

Asuka quirked a brow at him, "I never said that you weren't."

 _...Did I?_

Arata traced a scar that ran along his jawline with his thumb, "A-Ah. Yeah. You didn't."

Asuka turned back to look at the list on the fridge. It wasn't particularly long.

 _Kanagaki - peanut allergy_

 _Yamasaki - vegetarian_

At the bottom of the page was a doodle of the sun. Asuka frowned. Even though Shun had been informed of both her and Kousuke's allergies, neither made an appearance on the list.

Nervously, she looked down at the leaf she had drawn on her hand, and gulped.

 _Basil..._

"Did you see… anything else?" Asuka asked, trying to keep her head.

Arata thought for a moment, "I did see Uchiyama-san in here earlier. But she didn't stay long, and I don't think she saw me. Or she was ignoring me."

Asuka bit her lip, "I see… Thanks, Takishida. That's a big help."

 _What was she doing in here?_

Arata shrugged, "Glad I could be of service. Can I have my pen back?"

Asuka blinked, not realizing that she was still holding it, "Uh, yeah. Here."

He tucked it back into his pocket and offered a slightly strained smile.

Asuka nodded once to him before heading for the door again.

 _Weird guy…_

She didn't spare Hiroki a glance as she left the restaurant, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to her anyways. Back in the lobby, right in the stench of blood again, Asuka bit on her lip. Where hadn't she checked?

Her gaze caught on the slightly open door to the garden.

 _Didn't Chiba see Kotara around there last night? Maybe I should look… just in case._

With that on her mind, Asuka slipped inside. For a moment, the essence and fresh feeling caught her off guard, and she quickly shook herself.

"Focus," she grumbled, looking at the stony ground to avoid distraction.

She didn't even have to take a step before she noticed the first problem. Near the wall, right next to the door, the rocks had been stained a dark colour. Asuka kneeled down and frowned.

The substance was completely dry, but she didn't need to look long to conform. It was undoubtedly dried blood. She'd seen enough of it in her life to know.

 _What the hell is this doing in here, though?_

"-don't cry!"

Asuka looked up, the loud voice alerting her. She hadn't even realized there were other people investigating the garden, but she supposed that the open door should have clued her in.

Several steps closer revealed that the people talking were Saki and Yumiko. The dark haired girl had her head lowered. Asuka crept through the patch of purple flowers around the base of the tree, grateful that the thick trunk shielded her from view.

"But it's my fault that he died," Saki said, sniffling, "I… I should have done something."

Yumiko replied, "What were you supposed to do, become psychic?"

Saki mumbled, "I… I don't know, but-"

"Hey!" Yumiko said, grabbing Saki's wrist, "It's gonna be okay! I promise."

"...I hope that you're right," Saki said.

Yumiko smiled, "I know I am! I have faith."

Saki wiped her face, "You really believe in the others that much?"

"Of course not," Yumiko replied, "I believe in _you._ That'll be enough for me. It always has been."

Saki coughed a couple times, "T-Thanks, Yumi-chan."

Asuka took a step back, suddenly aware that that was a conversation she shouldn't be listening to. She gripped the tree trunk with her nails, looking at the dirt below as a distraction.

A strange colour amongst the green and brown melange stuck out. Asuka reached down between the spiraling leaves and picked up a small scrap of paper.

Pencil smudges made whatever was originally written nigh illegible, save for a few fierce scrawls of katakana.

 _Uchiyama._

Asuka frowned. She flipped the paper over, but there was nothing else written on it.

 _...What the hell did she do?_

She tucked into her pocket, biting on the inside of her lip, as Yumiko's voice grew loud again.

"-saying is the dried blood didn't come out of nowhere."

"But what does it _mean?"_ Saki asked.

Yumiko replied, "I don't know! I'm not a detective or anything."

Asuka stepped out from behind the tree, "Did you just say 'dried blood?'"

Yumiko jumped, "Have you been in here this whole time?!"

Asuka snuck a glance at Saki. Her eyes were fairly red. She gulped and said, "No, I literally just showed up. You saw the blood too?"

Yumiko nodded, "Yeah, over by the far flowerbed."

Asuka looked over her shoulder, "I was talking about the patch near the door."

"What the hell?" Yumiko furrowed her brow and jogged over to where Asuka had indicated.

Asuka stepped out of the dirt patch and approached Saki, "You doing okay?"

Saki nodded, not wanting to meet her eyes, "I will be… when we find Kousuke-chan's killer."

 _Easier said than done._

"Yeah," Asuka said weakly, "Hey… did you see anything that you think might help? At all?"

Saki shrugged, "The same as you, I'd gather."

Asuka grit her teeth, "Just for the record."

Saki crossed her arms in thought, "Maybe it was just my imagination, but didn't Kousuke-chan seem disoriented earlier? And I can only wonder about the announcement he wanted to give…"

Asuka nodded in response. While she figured it had to do with the survey he'd apparently been conducting, a gnawing feeling in her stomach told her that that wasn't the case.

"Holy fuck, you're right," Yumiko said, interrupting her thoughts, "But that makes even less sense! Two patches of blood?"

Asuka walked past the two of them, catching sight of the other area of blood. The two blotches were about the same size, but the distance between them was at least fifty feet.

"D'you think it's a coincidence?" Yumiko asked, bouncing on her heels.

Asuka put her hands in her pockets, "I'm not sure."

 _What on earth happened here… and why?_

Changing her train of thought, she asked, "Hey, Tsutaya. Did you see anything today that might be useful?"

"Today? No," Yumiko responded, "But last night, I _did_ catch Kotara-kun loitering in the lobby, after that bear's weird announcement."

Asuka furrowed her brow, "Huh. That's odd…"

 _But it's the same thing that Chiba told me. Guess she was telling the truth, even if I don't have a clue what it means._

"Thanks for helping," Asuka said, looking back towards the door.

Saki said, "I just want justice… Whatever it takes."

 _...Whatever it takes?_

"We'll probably still be here if you need us later," Saki added, when she didn't respond.

Asuka took that as her cue to leave, "Gotcha. Later, then."

 _I don't feel that much closer to uncovering what happened… I've got to keep looking. I don't want to die just yet._

Asuka left the garden with even more questions on her mind than before. She stared up at the balcony, before snapping her fingers. She hadn't even considered going upstairs, but the most crucial evidence could be hidden there.

 _If I can get into Kotara's room…_

She hurried up the right hand staircase, not even stopping as her heart pumped dangerously fast. Kousuke's room was second to her right, according to the nameplate.

The problem would be getting inside, she realized. Sure, she could call on Monokuma and beg for him to let her investigate, but Asuka still had a little bit of pride left, if not a lot. The other option was to break the door down, but that could very well count as destruction of property, and get her killed.

She put her hand on the doorknob, only to discover it was already open.

 _...Oh. Well, fuck me for overthinking everything._

Asuka pushed into Kousuke's room to see that Kenta and Natsumi had the same idea as her. The former was rooting through the room's small closet, while the latter was kneeling on the floor near the far side of the bed.

Kenta looked up as the door hinge creaked, "Hey, Ishikawa-kun! Did you come to look here too?"

 _What the hell do you think?_

"Yeah," she said, peering into the room, "Have you found anything so far?"

Kenta got to his feet, "I don't know how useful it is, but yeah. Apparently Kotara-kun keeps- uh, kept, like three clipboards in his closet."

Asuka frowned, "What?"

Kenta shrugged and gestured to the closet, "See for yourself."

Asuka walked over to where he was standing. Sure enough, below the hanging clothes, were three clipboards.

 _Why- Wait!_

She snapped her fingers, "That's what was missing."

Kenta blinked, "Huh?"

"Earlier this morning," Asuka clarified, "He didn't bring his clipboard to breakfast, even though he normally carried it everywhere."

 _I didn't see it at the crime scene either… If he had extras, why not…_

Kenta frowned, "That's bizarre."

Asuka flicked her earring, "No kidding... Hey, Hasekura? Have you seen anything at all that might help?"

Kenta shook his head, "Don't think so. But I mean, I'm not really the sharpest, so I'll… think on it."

 _Better than nothing, I guess._

Asuka nodded to him and crossed to the far side of the room. Natsumi was still sitting on the ground, lifting up the mattress on the bed ever so slightly.

"Find anything of note?" Asuka asked.

Natsumi dropped the mattress, "No. But I haven't finished checking the whole room yet."

Asuka nodded, then snuck a glance at Kenta and lowered her voice, "Why were you in the kitchen earlier?"

Natsumi said, "I don't have a reason to go in there."

"Takishida literally saw you," Asuka replied, raising an eyebrow.

Natsumi smiled, "He must be mistaken. I'm about the same height and build as Tsutaya-san, though. Maybe he saw her and thought it was me? I think he needs to wear his glasses more often…"

Asuka said, "Uchiyama. It's not hard to answer a fucking question."

"I am answering," Natsumi replied, "Why on earth would I be in the kitchen? Give me a reason."

Asuka sighed, "Fine, be difficult."

Natsumi batted her eyelashes and smiled.

 _I don't know why I bothered…_

Her hand brushed the slip of paper in her pocket. For a moment, she considered presenting it, but the gnawing feeling in her stomach stopped her.

 _Better to wait until I'm certain about it means before I press her._

With that decision made, Asuka turned her head. There was a metal wastebasket in the corner of the room that seemed to be going unnoticed.

Carefully, she kneeled down next to it and looked inside. What looked to be long strips of fabric lay crumpled inside.

Asuka reached her hand inside. Touching the strips confirmed that they were bandages. Lifting them out of the bin had her realize they were stained with blood.

"W-What the fuck?!" Asuka exclaimed.

Both Natsumi and Kenta turned their attention to her. Asuka continued, "Did either of you notice these already?!"

Kenta shook his head, "I had no idea… Is that blood?"

Asuka nodded, "I'm sure. But why the hell does Kotara have blood stained bandages in his room?"

 _...Did. Past tense._

"Maybe somebody got hurt," Natsumi said, "Is the blood dry?"

"I don't know?" Asuka replied, "Do you really think I want to touch someone else's blood?"

Natsumi looked at Kenta. When he shook his head, she sighed and crouched next to Asuka, and took the bandages from her hand.

"That's gross," Asuka said.

"I can't afford to be squeamish at a time like this," Natsumi responded, brushing a strand of hair off her shoulder, "It's dry."

Kenta said, "Really?"

Natsumi moved her fingers to touch some of the darker blotches, "Okay, not all of it. It's still a _little_ wet here, but it's at least a few hours old."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "And you know this how?"

"Comes with the territory," Natsumi said, dropping the bandages back in the basket and standing up.

 _The territory of being a liar?_

…

 _I should get out of here. I still haven't searched all the rooms in this damn place…_

Without acknowledging either of the people still in the room, Asuka got to her feet and hurried out of Kousuke's room. It wasn't long before she had essentially thrown herself down the stairs and landed in the lobby again.

There were two rooms left on the ground floor that she had neglected to investigate. Asuka drifted towards the storage room first, as it was closer.

The cool lighting of the room brought a shiver throughout her body. Asuka looked all around, her eyes falling on Minoru, who was sitting on a crate and holding a coil of rope in his hands.

She took a step towards him, only to trip over a cardboard box that she hadn't seen prior, and fell flat on her face.

"Fuck," she mumbled into the floor.

Minoru looked up, "Are you okay?"

Asuka stood up, brushing dirt off herself, "What does it look like?"

 _Why didn't I see that?!_

"Sorry," Minoru said quietly, "I didn't really know what else to say."

Asuka grit her teeth, "Whatever."

She glanced at the precariously stacked cardboard boxes next to the door. It seemed like it was one wrong touch away from collapsing.

 _I don't remember that clusterfuck being so dangerous before… Maybe I should check it out._

Asuka sifted through the pile, careful not to disturb the foundations. A couple boxes fell off as she looked, one barely missing her head.

As she moved to avoid being struck by another falling box, Asuka's hip nudged a box that felt heavier than it reasonably should have. Upon opening it, she realized why.

It was broken almost clean in half, and the wooden part was stained with blood, but there was no doubt that Kousuke's missing clipboard was hidden inside.

"But why the hell…" Asuka murmured, furrowing her brow.

 _Kotara… What happened to you?_

She snuck a look at Minoru. He wasn't paying any attention to her, still staring blankly at the rope.

Asuka turned back to the box. The sole paper on the clipboard had been ripped. Quietly, she lifted it from the box and tucked it inside her vest. It didn't fit very well, but it was the only way she could hide it.

 _I can't risk anyone noticing that I have this, but it could be crucial evidence..._

She crossed to where Minoru was still sitting and tilted her head, "Hey, you."

"H-Hi," Minoru said, "What is it?"

Asuka began, "Have you seen anything at all that-"

"That might help solve this? No," Minoru broke in, "Sorry. I'm pretty useless."

Asuka frowned, "That's not…"

 _Actually, it might be true. But I shouldn't say that. Probably._

Minoru shrugged, "I came in here to find a clue and found this rope instead. Not the most groundbreaking progress."

 _The fuck do you want me to tell you?_

"Who would want to kill Kotara-kun?" Minoru whispered.

 _If I knew, I wouldn't be standing here listening to you._

Asuka muttered, "That's the question."

Minoru ran a hand through his hair, "I just don't understand. Taking the life of another person… the thought of it makes me sick."

"You and me both, dude," Asuka said, closing her eyes for a moment.

 _This conversation is a waste of time._

"I need to keep moving," Asuka turned around, going for the door, "Bye."

Minoru waved absently, "Good luck, Ishikawa-san."

 _At this rate, I'll need it._

The only room on the first floor of the lobby that Asuka hadn't touched was the lounge. She pushed the heavy door open to find Hachirou and Masuyo, the only two people she'd yet to speak with, inside.

"-and I think that you're an idiot," Masuyo said, folding her arms, "So maybe think about not talking."

Hachirou responded, "You're being illogical, frankly."

Masuyo stuck out her tongue, "You're afraid of the truth!"

 _What the fuck?_

"What are you doing?" Asuka asked, staring at the pair.

Masuyo's head whipped towards her, "Ishikawa-chan! Tell Ikeda-kun that he's an idiot!"

Asuka blinked, "I- What? Sure, but why?"

"Okawa is refusing to listen to reason," Hachirou said testily.

Masuyo said, "Hey, I figured out who the killer is! All you've done is creepily follow me around!"

Asuka held up her hand, "Wait, hold on a second. You know who the killer is?!"

Masuyo snorted, "Duh. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together can tell who did it."

Asuka stared at her, "Maybe you could elaborate?"

"No way!" Masuyo said, "I'm not letting you take credit for my brilliant deductions that'll save everyone."

Hachirou sighed, "She believes that Kanagaki is the culprit."

Masuyo scowled, "Couldn't keep your mouth shut, huh?"

Asuka rubbed her temple, "I'll admit that Kanagaki is suspicious."

"See! I'm right!" Masuyo said triumphantly, "Now we just have to make sure she hangs for what she did to Kotara-kun."

 _A firing squad would be more appropriate- Oh my god! Don't think that! What the fuck?!_

Hachirou pushed up his glasses, "The two of them weren't even gone for two minutes. At this point, I don't think the matter is _gravé dans le marbre q_ uite yet."

"Nobody knows what you just said," Asuka muttered.

 _Still, not even two minutes? How did the culprit manage to off him in such a narrow timeframe?_

…

 _I'll have to keep looking for-_

A buzzer sounded above their heads. Then, Monokuma's shrill voice echoed through the room.

"I'm getting bored. Let's start the class trial, everyone! I'd like everyone to head outside, and go to the staircase in the centre of the hill!"

"No!" Asuka exclaimed.

 _I still haven't figured out who the culprit is!_

Masuyo said, "We don't have a staircase on that hill."

"Perhaps it's a metaphor," Hachirou supplied, "Either way, we shouldn't stay here. The rules state that all of us must attend his trial."

Masuyo muttered something under her breath as Asuka left the room. She could feel her heart slamming against her chest again

Hot sunlight beat down on her skin as she got outside, the door banging shut behind her. Asuka didn't get more than a couple steps before an annoyed sneer got her attention.

"Don't slam that door shut, Ishikawa," Itsuki grumbled as he came out of the hotel, "It echoes, and it's annoying."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "I didn't do it on purpose."

Itsuki pushed past her, "It better not give me a migraine."

 _I'm sorry?!_

Asuka shook her head and made her way down the hill. Near the centre, a large hole had opened up in the ground. Asuka peered into it, to see a spiral staircase that went down into the darkness.

 _Guess that bear wasn't lying about this._

She took her first step onto the stairs. The step wobbled a bit, but stayed put. Satisfied that it would hold her weight, Asuka continued down the stairs. It got darker as she got deeper, the only light being the sunlight that came through the entrance. There was no handrail either, forcing her to keep one hand on the wall.

At the bottom of the stairs, there was a flaming torch, and a set of golden doors. A few people had already arrived, but none of them acknowledged her. Asuka could hardly blame them.

More and more people came down the stairs, filling the tiny room. Asuka shifted away from them, but there wasn't enough space.

Just then, the doors opened, revealing a particularly large elevator. Asuka darted inside, and the rest of the class followed. She took a spot in the back corner of the elevator, so she could keep an eye on everyone else in the elevator.

Every single person had a nervous expression on their face as they entered. Asuka bit on her lip, reminding herself that Kousuke's killer was in the same square box as her.

"Is that everyone?" Saki called out from the front of the elevator.

Asuka's quick headcount revealed fifteen, which was unfortunately the right number.

"Upupupu!" Monokuma sang over the loudspeakers, "Congratulations, bastards! Those of you lucky enough to still have a pulse are about to witness the glory that is the class trial! I hope you appreciate its beauty, because this could be the only time some of you ever see it!"

Asuka gripped the handrails tight.

The elevator doors closed and she closed her eyes.

 _Kousuke Kotara… Sure, you were a bit stiff and overbearing, but you gave a shit about all of us, even though we didn't deserve it. I'm going to find out who killed you…_

The elevator plummeted without warning.

 _...I'm not going to die here._


	9. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (5)

The elevator dropped for what felt like forever.

Asuka dug her nails into the handrails, surveying the others. Nobody was even trying to make conversation, letting the ugly whirring sounds above them fill the air.

 _It's going to be okay. I'm not going to die here._

Asuka repeated the lines to herself ad nauseum, until the creaking ceased, and the doors slid open with a 'ding.' For a moment, nobody moved.

Hachirou broke the silence first, "We can't merely stand here. Come on."

"You first," Arata replied.

Hachirou muttered something under his breath, but instead stepped out of the elevator. With nothing else holding them back, everyone began filtering out.

Asuka lingered for only a moment, feeling her heart pounding again. She didn't know what pushed her out, a vague semblance of determination, or the fear of being left behind in the unstable box, but she followed after the crowd.

The room was completely circular. Four white pillars were holding up the roof, a stained glass ceiling that shone green, purple, and yellow dapples across the room.

Directly across from the elevator was a regal throne that Monokuma had already situated himself upon. And in the centre of the room was the explanation for the term 'class trial'; sixteen podiums arranged in a tight circle.

"Good morning, bastards! I mean, students! This is the first of hopefully _many_ class trials, so enjoy yourselves!" Monokuma declared from his place across the room.

Itsuki hissed, "What the fuck is this?"

Monokuma replied, "My court, of course. Please take your places at the stands in front of you. Each one is marked with a name, so make sure you stand in the right spot!"

A few people silently exchanged glances, before shuffling towards the podiums.

Asuka found hers close to the elevator, situated between Arata and a signpost that she couldn't quite see the face of. As soon as she stepped into place, it rose ever so slightly off the ground, and she gripped the edge for support.

 _Is this supposed to make us dizzy?_

Monokuma said, "There is a small slot on each of your podiums for your electro IDs. Make sure to insert them, because this will make any and all information you managed to scrounge up during the investigation available to you."

Asuka frowned, but produced the small ID and placed it in the slot. Instantly, the screen on the podium lit up, displaying a list.

' _Monokuma File #1', 'Kanagaki's account'... Was this thing recording me?!_

To her left, Arata seemed to be having the same reaction as her.

"Uh, hey," Masuyo said suddenly, "This might just be me who's creeped out, but you guys _are_ seeing the signpost, right?"

Asuka leaned forward to get a better view of it. It was a black and white picture of Kousuke, who was staring sadly at the camera. His face had been crossed out with a bloody X.

"S-So morbid…" Ayano squeaked.

Hiroki said, "It's fucking _weird_ is what it is. What's the point?"

Monokuma shrugged, "Just because your friends are dead, doesn't mean they can't participate in the class trial! Isn't it nice to know that no matter what, Kotara-kun will always be with you?"

Asuka rubbed her burning eyes, "You don't know anything!"

Hikari clenched her watering can tight, "I-It's scary…"

"Hey, this trial is to determine who murdered one of your classmates, not stand here and chatter about my choice of aesthetics!" Monokuma pounded his paw against the throne, "Let's get moving!"

Shun raised his hand, "But what exactly do we… do? I've never been in a debate before."

Monokuma sighed dramatically, "Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! Here today, you are judge, jury, and executioner, as your votes determine the final results!"

He stood up on top of the throne, "If you can pick out the blackened culprit amongst you, then only they will be punished! But if you choose the wrong person… I'll punish the remaining spotless in their place, and the culprit will be given the right to graduate!"

Masuyo crossed her arms, "I still think this is a dumb idea."

Monokuma flopped back down, "And I still think that you should really give it a chance! The class trial is tried and true."

"Freak," Hiroki grumbled.

"Let's not pay that… thing any mind. We should get started," Arata said. His head was down, and he was typing something furious on his typewriter, which Asuka had neglected to notice before.

She frowned, "What are you doing?"

Arata said, "Creating a transcript, obviously. It's the best way to keep track of what's said here."

 _And it gives you an excuse to not look at Monokuma…_

Natsumi frowned, "But why are you…"

From beside her, Shun whispered, "For now, I think we should just let him do it."

Saki clasped her hands, "Okay, everyone! We all have to work together here, no matter what!"

Minoru nodded nervously, "Y-Yeah, she's right-"

He was cut off by a withering glare from the confidant. Minoru ducked his head.

"Let's go!" Saki continued looking around the circle.

"But where the hell are we supposed to start in something like this?" Itsuki questioned.

Ayano said, "Beginning…?"

Hachirou nodded, "I suppose there is no other way. The rest of you received this 'Monokuma File' too, correct?"

Hiroki snorted, "Yeah, but I didn't fucking read it."

Hikari blinked, "You d-didn't?"

"I don't trust that bear as far as I can throw it! Which, according to the rules, is not at all!" Hiroki said, crossing his arms.

Shun mumbled, "That's not a very smart idea."

Saki pursed her lips, "Well, why doesn't one of us read it out so we're all on the same page?"

"Oh, I got it!" Yumiko called out. She tapped on her screen a few times, then cleared her throat, "Okay! 'The victim is Kousuke Kotara.' Obviously... 'The time of death was approximately 9:20AM… The body was found in the lobby, just outside the restaurant.'"

Kenta said, "Well, that's pretty clear!"

"I'm getting to the rest!" Yumiko said, "'Cause of death is cardiac arrest. The body shows signs of asphyxia.'"

Shun shuddered, "How awful…"

"'There are signs that the victim was hit in the head once with a blunt object, and also has severe bruising around the stomach.' That's it!" Yumiko finished with a grin.

"Thanks, Yumiko," Saki said, "Okay, with this information, I think we can come up with some concrete ideas!"

Kazue nodded, "I agree. First, about the cause of death-"

Masuyo cut her off, "Oh no, I'm stopping you right now!"

"She hasn't even said anything yet!" Asuka retorted.

"And I can't let her!" Masuyo shouted, "She's obviously the culprit! It shouldn't even be a question."

 _Here it is… Okawa's big theory._

"Well, Kanagaki-san?" Arata asked, "Would you like to defend yourself?"

Kazue twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "I… Well, I can't say that accusation is baseless, but-"

"Um, should let… Okawa-san say… piece…" Ayano choked out, her voice getting quieter as the sentence went on.

Masuyo grinned, "Thank you!"

 _I have to keep an eye on this…_

"So, Kanagaki-chan and Kotara-kun leave the restaurant together," Masuyo began, "Then, bam! Kotara-kun kicks it."

Kenta said, "When you put it like that, it does place her in a bad light."

Masuyo nodded, "Exactly! She whacks him over the head, hides the weapon, then screams. Piece of cake."

Minoru said awkwardly, "That feels too simple. It's possible that Kanagaki-san is being framed."

"I don't see an avenue for one to do such a thing," Hachirou said, glaring at the smaller boy.

Asuka said, "No, I think there's a mistake here. Asari, back me up."

"H-Huh?" Shun blinked, "Oh, right. There really isn't anywhere in the lobby to hide a weapon."

"That isn't what I meant!" Asuka exclaimed.

Itsuki scowled, "Well, try being more clear in what you want 'backed up' in the future."

Asuka glowered at him, "Stuff it!"

Natsumi cleared her throat, "I'm sure she could have stashed a blunt object easily, if it was small enough."

"I did not-" Kazue tried to break in.

Hachirou inhaled suddenly, "No, I may be mistaken after all."

Asuka asked, "How long did you say Kanagaki and Kotara were gone for again?"

Hachirou replied, "Certainly no longer than two minutes."

Yumiko scoffed, "Two minutes is more than enough time!"

"But there isn't a good place to hide a weapon in the lobby," Minoru persisted, "Unless you're saying that nobody managed to find it during the investigation?"

 _The clipboard doesn't look like it was stashed in a hurry. I'll hold onto it for now._

Hikari said, "S-So Kanagaki-san is innocent!"

"Thank-" Kazue began.

Hiroki threw his arm out, "Not so fast!"

Kazue glared at him, but didn't say anything. Saki said quickly, "What's the matter?"

Hiroki said, "Did everyone forget about the endless fucking gorge we have outside the lobby?"

"It is a very long drop," Kenta admitted.

"Kanagaki chucks whatever over the side, and that's the end," Hiroki said, "Case closed."

 _That sounds- impossible._

Asuka shook her head, "That's wrong too. We would have known if she did that."

"And why the fuck is that?" Itsuki shouted.

Asuka glared at him, "For the love of- you should know this better than I do!"

"Ah!" Ayano suddenly cried, "Ahh!"

Hikari tilted her head, "W-What is it?"

"Er…" Ayano frantically waved her hands, having lost confidence, "Big… bang…"

Arata blinked, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Shun shook his head, "No, she's saying something about… the front door?"

Hiroki smacked his forehead, "Oh, fuck."

"Took you long enough," Asuka muttered.

Masuyo frowned, "Mind spelling out whatever the hell you're saying?"

Natsumi snapped her fingers, "The front door makes a very loud sound whenever it closes."

"And it echoes throughout the hotel," Asuka said, "Or so Yamasaki claims."

Minoru said, "So Kanagaki-san isn't the killer."

Kazue sighed in relief, "Now that we've cleared-"

"Wait!" Masuyo called out.

Kazue stared at her, "Still?"

Masuyo said, "Kanagaki-chan didn't need some convoluted hiding place. She could just stash a weapon on her person."

Sweat formed on Kazue's brow, "I'm not a- I'm not Kotara's killer."

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "There's only one way to be _sicher."_

Saki whispered, "A body check."

"Is t-that really n-necessary?" Hikari teetered.

Arata said, "It might be the only way to the truth."

Kenta and Itsuki, whose trial podiums were on either side of Kazue, exchanged glances.

"I am _not_ doing that," Itsuki said firmly.

Kenta rubbed his neck, "Kanagaki-kun, I'm so sorry, but-"

Kazue grit her teeth and held out her arms. "Fine. Just get it over with."

Kenta awkwardly patted her down, looking apprehensive. He seemed to be doing everything he could to be gentle. Finally, he said, "Nothing. Clean as a whistle."

"Thank you," Kazue said quietly.

Hikari said, "And, w-we were together during the investigation. S-She never left the crime scene, so there w-was no chance to get r-rid of any evidence."

"Indeed," Kazue said, "Now, if we're done with-"

"We're not," Itsuki said.

Shun asked, "What else is there even to question her on?"

"I'd forgotten until Matsumoto reminded me, but Kanagaki offering to be a guard is suspicious in and of itself," Itsuki replied.

"Are you going to say that Matsumoto is suspicious for the same reason?" Asuka frowned.

Itsuki scowled, "No! Don't try putting words in my mouth!"

Yumiko groaned, "Spit it out, Yamasaki-kun. We don't have all day."

"Kanagaki had access to the perfect hiding place by being a guard," Itsuki said.

Ayano blinked, "W-What…?"

Itsuki continued, "Kotara's bag. It's not large, but it could fit a blunt object inside. All Kanagaki would have to do is wait until Matsumoto wasn't paying attention, then slip her weapon inside."

"I…" Kazue whispered.

Saki said, "Please, just be honest with us. I'm _begging_ you."

 _We're never going to get anywhere if we keep accusing her… Kanagaki clearly has something she's trying to get out, but…_

…

 _I could turn this around._

"I think we've reached our conclusion," Hachirou said, "Pity, I thought she'd put up more of a fight."

 _But I'd have to…_

Arata typed quickly, "Any last words, Kanagaki-san?"

 _Lie…_

"Told you so!" Masuyo yelled, "She's guilty as sin!"

 _Not like I haven't done a lot of that lately._

Natsumi said, "So, is this the part where we vote?"

"No, not yet," Asuka said, gripping her podium tight.

 _Kanagaki, if you really are the culprit, I'll kill you my fucking self._

"I looked inside Kotara's bag during the investigation," Asuka continued, "All that's in there is a blanket and some really basic medical supplies. Definitely no blunt objects."

Kazue furrowed her brow, "You did?"

 _OH COME ON!_

Asuka grit her teeth, "You weren't paying attention to me when I looked. The _point_ is that there wasn't a weapon in the bag."

Shun said, "If that's the case, then we have no basis to keep accusing Kanagaki-san."

"There's gotta be something else to try, then!" Kenta said.

Natsumi said, "Assuming Ishikawa-san is telling the truth, that is."

Asuka narrowed her eyes at the blonde, "What are you saying?"

"Oh nothing," Natsumi smiled back, "Just making an observation."

 _She's onto me. Fuck._

Hiroki said, "I'm still not convinced! Kanagaki was the only one with an opportunity to actually kill Kotara."

Hachirou admitted, "I too, am reluctant to give in quite yet."

"She's the culprit, without a doubt," Masuyo said.

Hikari said, "I d-don't think she i-is…"

"Evidence… not in favour," Ayano mumbled.

"I am not the culprit!" Kazue exclaimed.

Arata said, "Well, sure, you say that. But is it true?"

Minoru said, "It's like I said, someone's framing her!"

"Hold it right there, bastards!"

Almost everyone flinched as Monokuma's voice pierced the air.

"Oh, what now?!" Asuka snapped.

Monokuma said, "Well, since there's such a split opinion between you all, I think it's time for a Scrum Debate!"

Kenta blinked, "A what?"

"Two teams, pitting their opinions back and forth in a neat line, until you can reach a consensus!" Monokuma rubbed his paws together, "It's one of my favourite mini games!"

 _What?_

With that, he reached behind himself and produced a large, golden key.

 _...Oh god._

"If you get motion sick easily, I'd say you better close your eyes right now," Monokuma advised, sticking the key into a small mechanism in front of him and twisting it.

"Why- AAAH!" Ayano shrieked.

The trial podiums began to shake. Asuka gripped the edge of hers, feeling a cold, clammy sickness inside as the stands rose into the air. They didn't stop rising until everyone was a good twenty feet upwards.

 _I fucking hate heights._

Monokuma said, "Okay, let's go go go!"

Asuka swallowed and faced forwards, glaring at Masuyo, who stood directly across from her with a self-satisfied sneer.

[ _IS KAZUE KANAGAKI THE CULPRIT?_ ]

[ **YES: Masuyo Okawa, Hiroki Ayugai, Saki Yamura, Yumiko Tsutaya, Arata Takishida, Hachirou Ikeda, Itsuki Yamasaki, Natsumi Uchiyama, Kousuke Kotara** ]

[ **NO: Asuka Ishikawa, Kazue Kanagaki, Minoru Fujita, Hikari Matsumoto, Kenta Hasekura, Ayano Chiba, Shun Asari** ]

Hiroki shouted, "Kanagaki was _alone_ with Kotara when he died!"

"She wasn't _alone_ ," Shun said, "I was coming down the stairs at the time. I would have seen her attack him!"

Saki said, "But she could have already assaulted him by the time you looked into the _lobby_ , and tucked away her weapon."

Minoru shook his head, "The _lobby_ doesn't have a place to hide an object that big, especially not in such a short amount of time."

Yumiko exclaimed, "Two minutes is enough time for her to open the _door_ and throw something over the edge of the gorge!"

"B-But the front _door_ is so loud w-when it closes," Hikari said, "We couldn't have missed a sound like t-that."

Hachirou scoffed, "The weapon was obviously hidden on Kanagaki's _person_."

Kenta snapped, "Hey, I proved there was nothing on her _person_ that could be used to club Kotara-kun!"

Masuyo slammed her fist down, "She ditched it during the _investigation_!"

Kazue said, "Matsumoto and I were together the entire length of the _investigation._ I'm sure she would have noticed if I snuck off."

"The mysterious weapon was hidden inside of Kotara's _bag,"_ Itsuki replied.

Ayano squeaked, "But… Ishikawa-san s-said… not in _bag!"_

Natsumi inquired, "Is Ishikawa-san telling the _truth?"_

"Of course it's the _truth!"_ Asuka shouted, "I have no reason to lie for a person I barely know!"

Silence fell over the rows. Arata, the only remaining member on the other team, stayed silent.

Monokuma grinned, "I see that you've come to a conclusion."

Just as suddenly as they'd risen, the trial podiums sunk back into the ground.

 _Eugh… I feel sick._

"What the fuck?" Hiroki said, "Takishida, why didn't you say anything?"

Arata said, "I realized up there that all my arguments were easy to refute. From everything said so far, I think Kanagaki-san is innocent after all."

Saki sniffled, "I'm sorry for ganging up on you like that, Kazue-chan. The evidence stacked up at the time."

"I'm not convinced," Yumiko muttered.

"Give it a rest," Hachirou said firmly, "We don't have anything else we can use against her… yet."

"I was so sure… Now what?" Masuyo lamented.

Itsuki sneered, "Maybe you should hit us with another brilliant deduction."

Masuyo's sunglasses slipped from her forehead to cover her eyes as she shook her fist at him, "I don't have anything else, fuckhead!"

Hikari waved her hand, "P-Please don't yell! I'm sure we c-can still find the killer i-if we keep talking."

"She's right," Asuka said, "Let's not waste any more of our time. I'm sure the bear has us on a clock."

"Upupupu," Monokuma said, "That's for me alone to know!"

 _Piece of shit._

"I think Kanagaki-san has something she's been trying to say since the trial began," Minoru said, raising his hand.

Kenta nodded, "Yeah! We should hear her out."

"Finally," Kazue muttered. Louder, she said, "In any case… not only is the blunt force trauma not even the cause of death, it was inflicted at least several hours prior. It's likely irrelevant."

Shun's jaw dropped, "Irrelevant?"

"God damn it, she's right," Itsuki hissed, "The blood on Kotara's skull was dry."

Natsumi fiddled with her braid, "So the killer has had us running in circles this whole time."

"O-Okawa-san hasn't done a-anything wrong!" Hikari protested.

Natsumi grinned, "I never said anything about her, but it's interesting that you assumed as much."

Hikari tugged on her gloves, "A-Ah…!"

Minoru tried to go back on course, "The blood was dry, so maybe we should focus on-"

"Hold it!" Yumiko called out.

Arata frowned, "Why are you screaming?"

Yumiko stuck out her tongue at him before speaking, "There were two patches of dried blood in the garden. What if it's Kotara-kun's?"

"I don't know, couldn't that have appeared at any time?" Natsumi said, "That garden isn't exactly the pinnacle of safety, with the uneven ground."

Asuka shook her head, "No, it has to be recent. The sprinklers go off at ten-fifteen every night, so they would have washed away any traces of blood."

 _That, and that paper with your name on it would have been destroyed…_

Hiroki frowned, "The fucking what? We have sprinklers?"

"Y-Yes?" Hikari answered, "In the garden. I'm sure Monokuma c-could confirm it."

Monokuma responded, "The garden does indeed have a state of the art sprinkling system that waters the flowerbeds at the aforementioned time!"

Saki said, "But if the blood was already dry before the sprinklers went off, it might not wash away."

"That's true," Shun said, "It could also be in a spot that the sprinklers might not reach."

 _Is that… No. No, from yesterday…_

"Not a chance," Asuka said, "Matsumoto, weren't you in the garden yesterday afternoon? Did you see any blood?"

Hikari said, "Y-Yes, I was there. I noticed t-that not all the plants w-were getting watered, so I've been doing it myself. There w-was no blood anywhere."

Masuyo added, "I can confirm! I was in there, helping her!"

Asuka said, "So they had to have shown up last night, after ten-fifteen. The bloody bandages in Kotara's room confirm it."

Hachirou choked on the air, "Excuse me, the bloody _what?!"_

"Shit, I forgot about those," Kenta said.

"B-Bloody…?" Ayano whispered.

"Yeah, we found some bandages in his trash can," Kenta said, "Most of the blood on them was dry, but…"

Natsumi finished his thought, "But the blood in the centre of the bandages was still a bit wet."

Asuka nodded, "So it's reasonable that the blood in the garden belongs to Kotara, and it must have appeared last night."

Shun's eyes lit up, "Oh! Chiba-san, didn't you say you saw Kotara-san last night?"

Ayano tensed, then said, "Ah… yes. Saw near… garden too."

 _And Tsutaya spotted him too. But that only raises more questions to me._

Itsuki ran a hand through his hair, "How far away were the splatters?"

"Uh… one was near the door," Yumiko said, "and the other was way in the back, near one of the flowerbeds."

Asuka clarified, "It had to be a good fifty foot distance."

Itsuki's brow furrowed, "You're certain?" Yumiko nodded, "Yes?"

Minoru frantically tapped his hand on his podium, "But if the blood patches are so far apart, they might not be relevant! Maybe _one_ of them, sure, but that doesn't make sense to me."

Hiroki jumped up and down on his platform, waving his hand in the air, "Oh, I know, I know! Pick me!"

Kazue frowned, "What is it?"

"Obviously, there was some kind of struggle," Hiroki said, "Kotara and his killer have a fight, there's a chase… It would make sense for things to be a mess."

"Pow…" Ayano said, nodding.

Kenta frowned, "I don't know about that?"

"What reason is there to doubt him?" Arata asked.

Kenta rubbed his neck, "The thing is, with Kotara-kun's body type and muscle mass, it would be very hard to fight with him. It would be easy for him to overpower anyone here… Except for myself, and maybe Kanagaki-kun."

Saki bit her lip, "Maybe there wasn't a struggle, then."

Hiroki slammed his hand on his podium, "What the fuck?! Explain the distance between the blood patches, then!"

"It's just that… I think the blunt force trauma is irrelevant," Saki clarified, "Kousuke-chan's cause of death was _cardiac arrest,_ and we haven't covered the signs of asphyxia either."

Kazue threw her hands in the air and looked up, "I've been trying to say that for the past hour!"

Masuyo waved her arm, "Uh, what's an 'asphyxia?' I've never heard of that before."

"You don't know what asphyxia is?" Kenta asked.

"Murder doesn't usually come up in volleyball, blueberry!" Masuyo snapped.

Kenta's hand touched his hair, "B-Blueberry?"

Kazue cleared her throat, "To answer Okawa's question, it's when the body is deprived of oxygen, which can result in coma or death. Choking's an example."

"But would smack…?" Ayano trailed off.

Shun shook his head, "Head trauma shouldn't cause that."

Minoru confirmed, "It wouldn't. But that's not the focal point here!"

Arata said, "Kotara-kun was vomiting blood right before he died. It's possible that he grew unable to breathe due to that."

Hikari shuddered, "A-And then the cardiac arrest f-finished him."

 _Couldn't breathe…_

"Hey," Asuka said, "Could an allergen have caused something like that?"

Arata shrugged, "Possibly? I don't actually know."

Hachirou frowned, "Was Kotara allergic to something?"

"Yeah, he had a deathly allergy to basil," Asuka said, " I found some weird leaves in the kitchen that could be it… Maybe Kotara died from an allergic reaction."

Dead silence fell over the room.

Asuka gripped her wrist, "Why is everyone staring at me?"

"Well… knew about," Ayano whispered, "could be faulty…"

Hachirou said, "I believe she's trying to say that since you knew about his allergy, you've made yourself the primary suspect."

Asuka went quiet for a moment, "...Fuck."

Ayano nervously raised her hand, "U-Um! Ishikawa-san… could hide leaves. Kill with… no smack."

"You could have slipped Kotara basil at any point, and kill him without dirtying your hands in a fight," Hachirou interpreted, glancing at the small girl.

Ayano nodded, "Yes!"

"No!" Asuka yelled.

"Eep!" Ayano flinched.

Asuka shook herself, "I wasn't the only one who knew about his allergy! He told Asari personally, and Yamura was there with us!"

Saki admitted, "That… is true."

"On top of that, I'd have to reach across Yamura to slip basil into his food, which I'm sure someone would have noticed," Asuka snapped.

 _I also don't even know what it looks like!_

Hiroki frowned, "Asari knew about Kotara's allergy?"

"Y-Yes?" Shun said.

"W-Well, we have a l-list in the kitchen! It's to keep t-track of everyone's dietary needs," Hikari said, "To a-avoid something terrible like this…"

Arata nodded, "Right, I remember looking at that thing."

Asuka said, "Yeah, but Kotara's allergy isn't written on it. And neither are _mine_ , for that matter."

"What?!" Yumiko exclaimed, "Then what's the point of it?"

Minoru asked, "The two of you told Asari-kun about your allergies?"

Asuka blinked, "I thought we established that? Yes?"

Minoru looked down and tugged on his sleeves.

"Then he's the killer," Itsuki said, "He neglected to write down those crucial allergies because he was planning to kill one of you. Kotara was unlucky."

Shun shook his head desperately, "No! I would never! I… I just forgot…"

Hiroki scoffed, "Likely story!"

"Forgetting about something that could kill another person?" Natsumi raised an eyebrow.

Shun hugged his arms to his chest, "I-I… I d-didn't… I could never hurt…"

"It _can't_ be Asari-kun," Arata said, "Are we all forgetting that he didn't even show up this morning?"

Hikari nodded, "R-Right. I never saw him."

"Kotara-kun even had to go fetch him," Minoru whispered, "Takishida-kun's right, this is impossible."

Yumiko gasped, her eyes going round as discs, "But do you realize what that means?!"

Asuka blinked, "No?"

 _Should I?_

Hachirou lowered his head, "It means that someone else in the kitchen put basil on all the omelettes… and killed Kotara without realizing."

"Oh no!" Saki screamed, covering her mouth.

Hiroki blanched, "WHAT THE FUCK?"

Tears welled in Hikari's eyes, "W-We…"

Itsuki crossed his arms, "The only question at this point is-"

Natsumi interrupted him, "Which one of you did it?"

Shun cried, "None of them would have killed Kotara-san!"

"But they didn't know about the basil!" Masuyo responded.

Hachirou sighed, "It appears that this is a very tragic incident indeed."

"No!" Ayano cried.

"No?" Minoru echoed.

Ayano squeaked, "Eek! U-Uh… no basil… in kitchen."

 _That was more coherent than her usual word salad…_

Kenta asked, "You don't have any?"

"Right, we don't!" Hiroki exclaimed, "Chiba was complaining the other day that there's like, no herbs or spices in the whole place."

"B-Because there aren't," Hikari said.

Asuka nodded, "I remember hearing about this too. But if there's no basil in the kitchens…"

"The garden is quite expansive," Natsumi said, "If there's basil growing in there, the culprit could have easily picked some and used it to kill Kotara-kun."

Hikari raised her hand, "A-Actually, no. Monokuma would have e-executed someone if t-they attempted that."

Kenta blinked, "He what?!"

"That's insane," Itsuki said.

Hikari said, "B-But it breaks rule number five…"

Kazue frowned, ""Property destruction, intentional or not, is prohibited.' I don't see the connection?"

"Oh, shit, I remember being there for that!" Yumiko said, "Matsumoto-san wanted to uproot some of the plants, but Monokuma said he'd kill her, cause she was 'damaging' the garden."

"S-So the culprit… couldn't have done anything o-of the sort," Hikari finished.

Monokuma shouted, "You've got that wrong!"

"Gah!" Asuka cried.

Shun moaned, "What _now?"_

"I don't appreciate the twisting of my words," Monokuma said, folding his arms, "I only stated that uprooting plants was the same as property damage. You could pick the flowers and leaves of anything you'd like!"

Hikari lowered her head, "O-Oh… I'm s-sorry, everyone! I wasted y-your time…"

Masuyo said, "Hey, you didn't know! It's that stupid bear's fault! Chin up, Matsumoto-chan!"

"I'll t-try…" Hikari whispered.

Monokuma grumbled, "I get no respect from anyone."

Itsuki snarled, "Try deserving it."

Yumiko folded her arms, "Now what?!"

Hachirou sighed, "All of that discussion got us nowhere."

"We determined that Kotara-kun was killed by basil," Natsumi responded.

Kenta said, "But that just brought us to a dead end."

"Not necessarily! We have to think things through logically, and put our heads together!" Saki exclaimed, sounding strained, "What haven't we worked out?"

Hiroki rolled his eyes, "Who the killer is?"

Kazue added, "What on earth occurred in the garden?"

"Where the basil originally came from?" Arata said.

"Why anyone would want to do something like this to Kotara-kun?" Minoru tried.

Masuyo scowled, "Literally every aspect of this case?!"

Saki shrugged nervously, "Okay, I guess we just have a lot of ground to cover! Where should we start?"

 _I have no idea._

"I'd like to return to Kotara's mysterious head wound," Itsuki said, "We never determined what he was hit with, or where the weapon was hidden."

Kenta scratched his neck, "We didn't. But I thought nothing was found in the lobby?"

Asuka swallowed, "Not in the lobby."

 _Guess it's time for my trump card._

Shun asked, "Ishikawa-san? W-Weren't you the one who-"

"I know what I said," Asuka interrupted, "And I found _this_ in the storage room, inside a box."

Asuka reached into her vest and, somewhat regretfully, produced Kousuke's clipboard.

Saki gasped, "That's…!"

"M-Missing clipboard…" Ayano murmured.

"This was hidden very carefully," Asuka stated "It would have taken a lot of time and effort to get this where it was."

Hachirou said, "In other words, Kanagaki couldn't have been the one to hide it this morning."

 _Well, at least SOMEONE got that hint._

Natsumi tilted her head, "There's blood on it."

Itsuki added, "And it's broken in half!"

"Hey, so guess who was right? Me!" Hiroki yelled triumphantly.

Ayano stared at him blankly, "Uh?"

"Kotara was overpowered by the killer!" Hiroki shouted, "They stole his clipboard and smacked him clean over the head!"

Masuyo said, "But that doesn't explain the two patches of blood!"

Hiroki waved his hand, "I was fucking getting to that! Like I said, there was a struggle, and a chase. But then the culprit hit him again!"

Yumiko shook her head, "Kotara-kun was only hit once. It says so in the Monokuma File."

"Fuck you guys!" Hiroki grumbled.

Itsuki cleared his throat, "If we take Ayugai's theory with a grain of salt… What if Kotara injured his attacker? The blood could belong to different people."

Shun frowned, "B-But nobody here is injured. Wouldn't we have noticed if someone else got hurt?"

Saki's eyes watered, "We didn't notice Kousuke-chan in time…"

"The culprit had all night to clean themselves up," Arata said, "From what I can tell, it was a small amount of blood too, so it shouldn't have been an issue."

Kenta said, "And Kotara-kun had those bandages… the killer could have that, or something similar too."

Yumiko frowned, "But that doesn't tell us _enough."_

Saki pumped her fist, "We just have to keep trying!"

"I don't see the point," Minoru muttered.

Kazue said gently, "We can't give up now. There has to be an answer."

"No, not like that," Minoru said, raising his voice, "I don't understand why the killer would assault Kotara-kun in the garden in the middle of the night, then slip him basil at breakfast."

Ayano shrugged, "To… To finish… job?"

Minoru said, "But that'd be risky, wouldn't it? What if Kotara-kun told someone, or the basil didn't reach him, or-"

Asuka gasped, "The announcement!"

Shun frowned, "The what?"

"Kotara was going to make an important announcement about our 'health and safety,'" Asuka said, "What if he was actually confronting his attacker?"

Hikari said, "B-But Asari-san was late… So h-he never got to finish."

"I guess the killer got really lucky. If his allergies had kicked in a moment sooner-" Masuyo went still, "Wait a fucking second."

Natsumi asked, "What is it?"

Masuyo shrugged, "I don't really know how allergies work, but aren't food ones, especially deadly ones… kind of immediate?"

Arata nodded, "Yes, but what are you getting at?"

"Kotara-kun should have died in the restaurant if he _ate_ _basil,"_ Masuyo said.

Hachirou slammed his fist against his podium, eyes alight, "The blood!"

Kenta leaned back slightly, "Ikeda-kun? What the hell?"

"Forgive me," Hachirou said, his face slightly flushed, "The blood that Kotara threw up was bright red. I hadn't realized it until Okawa said what she did... What might have actually occurred."

Asuka quirked a brow, "Which is?"

Hachirou said, "It's more than likely that Kotara was poisoned."

Kazue gasped, "Of course! How did I not notice… it should have been obvious!"

Yumiko said, "Uh, I don't know how we went from point one to point nine. Can someone lay this out?"

"Whatever caused Kotara to go into cardiac arrest could not have been basil," Hachirou started, "Otherwise, he would have died moments after taking the first bite of his omelette."

Kazue added, "It had to have been somewhat slow acting, because we waited quite some time for Asari. And of course, the blood he threw up was bright red."

Shun said, "Which means?"

Kazue responded, "That's a common trait among poisoning victims."

Natsumi asked, "But where could the killer have obtained poison?"

"Yeah!" Hiroki shouted, "We don't even have a good spice selection!"

Kazue bit her lip, "Ishikawa? You said much earlier that you saw some strange leaves in the kitchen. Could you describe them?"

Asuka said, "Uh, it's a little smudged, but I actually drew one of them on my hand."

With that, she extended her left hand across the courtroom so that Kazue could see it. The sharpshooter paled.

"That is… not basil," Kazue breathed.

Kenta asked, "What is it really?"

Kazue replied, "That is… a leaf from the aconite plant."

"Aconite?" Asuka questioned.

"Yes. They have small, purple flowers, and ingesting the plant is fatal," Kazue said, her brow furrowed with worry, "Even making contact with it can absorb the neurotoxins."

Natsumi frowned, "R-Really?"

…

 _No._

 _Absolutely not._

"Oh god," Asuka murmured, the weight of everything she'd seen that day hitting her at once.

Arata turned to her, "Ishikawa-san? You don't look too good."

Asuka ignored him, "I know."

She locked eyes with her suspect.

 _How did this happen?_

…

 _Why would you do this?!_

Asuka whispered, "I know who killed Kousuke Kotara."

 **CHOOSE A PERSON!**


	10. Chapter One: Most Likely to Succeed (6)

**CHOSEN: HIKARI MATSUMOTO**

"Matsumoto," Asuka spoke, "Say something before I do."

Hikari's eyes were wide with fright, "I-I…"

Minoru asked, "Does she know who the culprit is?"

"She _is_ the culprit," Asuka said, "I don't have doubts anymore."

 _As much as I wish I did._

Masuyo slammed both her fists down on her podium, "Are you out of your damn mind?! Matsumoto-chan couldn't hurt a fly!"

Hachirou frowned, "I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying, Okawa."

"It goes against everything we've established!" Masuyo exclaimed, "If Kotara-kun and his killer fought, Matsumoto-chan can't be his killer."

Kenta snapped his fingers, "Because of their differences in height and stature?"

Arata asked, "What's the height difference between the two of them?"

"A fair amount, for sure," Yumiko responded.

"That's not specific enough," Itsuki said, "Oi, Monokuma! Give us the exact numbers!"

"Hmph!" Monokuma seemed annoyed, " If you insist… At five foot one, Chrysanthemum here is eight inches shorter than the late Kotara-kun."

"So… being killer would be… hard," Ayano said.

Masuyo nodded, "Yes! Hasekura-kun told us before that Kotara-kun had a lot of muscle. Matsumoto-chan is incredibly petite."

Saki mused, "And Hikari-chan wouldn't have been able to wrestle Kousuke-chan's clipboard from him."

Minoru nervously added, "Her being the killer wouldn't work at all. What's Ishikawa-san's point?"

"But she hasn't denied it," Natsumi said, "Come on, Matsumoto-san. It shouldn't be hard… If you're innocent."

Hikari trembled as she spoke up, "Nngh… W-Why… Why would I k-kill Kotara-san? I d-don't have a r-reason!"

"Maybe I don't know your motive," Asuka admitted, "But I know exactly how you did it."

Shun asked, "You're really sure that Matsumoto-san is the killer?"

Hachirou scoffed, "I imagine that is why the accusation was made in the first place."

 _Of course I'm certain! And it should be obvious why I'm suspecting her now…_

 _...It's right in front of our eyes._

Asuka said, "Are all of you forgetting that Matsumoto is the Super High School Level _Gardener?_ Who would know about poisonous plants better than her?"

Minoru blinked, "Oh."

"A-And… Hikari-chan was the one who served us breakfast in the morning," Saki whispered, "I _watched_ her hand Kousuke-chan his omelette, and I didn't think twice."

Itsuki shrugged, "Why would you have? Matsumoto had the responsibility to serve breakfast."

Ayano raised her hand, "And… rush."

Arata frowned, "What?"

 _I think I know what she means for once. Don't I have some kind of evidence?_

Asuka flipped through the evidence that her handbook had conveniently provided.

 _...Ah. This is it._

"Ayugai told me earlier that everyone was working quickly, pulling double duty because Asari wasn't present," Asuka said, reading over his testimony.

Shun rubbed the back of his neck.

Ayano clasped her hands, "Y-Yes! No time… to think."

"I wasn't paying any attention to the other two, just making sure nothing burned to a crisp," Hiroki admitted with a frown, "Matsumoto… could have done whatever the hell she wanted."

Masuyo shouted, "But she didn't! Because she's not the killer!"

Kazue raised an eyebrow, "Why are you so sure of that?"

"Maybe we haven't known each other long but… I just know, okay?!" Masuyo snapped.

Natsumi crossed her arms, "Like you _knew_ that Kanagaki-san was the culprit?"

Masuyo turned to glare at her, but was silenced by Itsuki.

"Now's not the time to dredge up old and useless arguments," he said, "What we need is proof."

Shun nodded, "Like proof of where Matsumoto-san found aconite."

Minoru said, "I mean, maybe it's too easy, but what about the garden?"

"D-Does any… grow?" Ayano asked.

 _Of course it does… I just need to show everyone._

"It grows right under the large tree in the centre of the garden," Asuka said, "I've seen aconite there ever since we arrived here… I just didn't know what it was."

Masuyo shot back, "M-Maybe Matsumoto-chan didn't know either?"

 _What kind of a flimsy rebuttal is that?!_

Kazue said, "Wouldn't it be hard for someone in her field to not know?"

"Well-"

Yumiko interrupted, "She knew."

Arata stopped typing for a moment, "Can you prove that?"

"Saki and Ishikawa-san can back me up," Yumiko said quietly, "On the second day… she told me she was going to try and uproot some poisonous plants in the garden, to keep everyone safe."

Saki lowered her gaze, "I remember that."

 _I wish I didn't._

"To keep people safe… What a bitter irony," Hachirou said.

"That's my proof," Asuka said, glancing at Hikari again, "Matsumoto had the means, knowledge, and opportunity to kill Kotara, and she's the only one who could have done so."

Hikari shuddered, "I-Ishikawa-san…"

"Don't be _fucking stupid!"_ Masuyo shouted.

Itsuki scowled, "What now?!"

Masuyo's sunglasses had fallen back over her eyes to conceal the fierce glare in them. Her hair puffed out as she pointed at Asuka, seething.

"That's all circumstantial! Y-You still haven't proved anything about the incident in t-the garden!"

Hiroki said, "Because Matsumoto's too small to attack Kotara, right?"

"As convincing as Ishikawa's argument is, I don't know how Matsumoto would have stolen Kotara's clipboard," Kazue said, scrutinizing the gardener.

Kenta asked, "Why are we certain that she used his clipboard against him?"

Minoru said, "...Because it was found bloodied and broken?"

"That's not…" Kenta said, "I mean, Matsumoto-kun had easy access to a different blunt object, her own watering can."

"A-Ah!" Hikari squeaked, her gloved grip tightening around the offending object.

Kenta continued, "She's even holding it right now. It wouldn't be suspicious for her to carry it with her everywhere either."

Yumiko held up a finger, "So if she snuck up on Kotara-kun…!"

Ayano gulped, "Smack."

Hiroki grinned, "Then Kotara attacks back! I _told_ you there was a fight!"

Asuka inhaled sharply, "Which would explain some other evidence we've been struggling with until this point!"

Shun blinked, "It does?"

Asuka glanced back down at her evidence list.

 _...Here we go. Take that!_

"The two splatters of blood in the garden," Asuka said, "We couldn't figure out why they were so far apart."

Saki gasped, "If Kousuke-chan chased Hikari-chan… he could have used his own clipboard against her."

"Which is why it broke!" Minoru jumped in.

Saki snapped, "I didn't ask you!"

Minoru flinched.

Kazue intervened, "But he's right. Kotara had the perfect weapon at his disposal, and he must have lashed back."

Arata frowned, "But then why did he hide it in the storage room? It would have made more sense for him to have taken the clipboard back to his room."

Ayano asked, "Did… he return?"

Natsumi nodded, "I'm sure of it."

 _I am too. The evidence that proves it is…_

"Kotara absolutely went back to his room last night," Asuka said, pulling up the evidence on her screen, "Remember the bloody bandages in the trash can?"

"A-Ah!" Ayano cried, "Sorry…"

Hachirou folded his arms, "So, he returned to treat his head wound. Takishida's question still stands."

 _I know…_

Yumiko scratched her neck, "Are we sure Kotara-kun hid the clipboard in the storage room?"

Hiroki said, "I thought we decided he was the one who used it! Make up your mind!"

"Sorry," Yumiko said.

 _I think I know what she means, though._

…

 _Who hid the clipboard? Was it Kotara? The culprit? Someone else?_

Asuka said, "Well, what if the culprit hid it?"

"That's fucking stupid," Hiroki responded.

Itsuki said, "But possible. The storage room is directly across from the garden."

Shun raised a hand, "Do you still think Matsumoto-san is guilty?"

Asuka bit her lip, "That… hasn't changed. Why?"

 _I wish it could change. I wish I had something conclusive that pointed at anyone else._

"Well, if Matsumoto-san hid the clipboard…" Shun began, "How could she have gotten it from Kotara-san in the first place?"

Natsumi smiled, "It would be difficult, but not impossible."

Yumiko narrowed her eyes, "Care to spell it out for the rest of us? I don't speak 'vague hints.'"

Natsumi said, "If the culprit could put Kotara-kun out of commission for even a couple seconds, it wouldn't be difficult to steal his clipboard."

"How would Matsumoto-kun have done that?! Kotara-kun had every physical advantage over her," Kenta said.

Hachirou said, "The more you talk about this theory, the less probable it becomes."

Kazue twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "Actually… there is evidence to support Uchiyama's theory. It just hasn't come up in the trial at all."

"What haven't we talked about at this point?" Arata asked, flipping through the pages and pages of discussion he'd already typed.

 _I think I know what she means. It's so small, but so suspicious in the long run…_

Asuka flicked her earring, "Do you mean the bruising on Kotara's stomach?"

Hiroki tilted forwards, "I thought that was from the poison."

"Why would poison cause bruising?" Minoru asked, screwing up his face.

"It was just a thought, dipshit!" Hiroki shouted.

Arata said, "Actually, if a poison affects a person's body temperature, it can occasionally cause bruising."

"Why are we talking about this?" Yumiko asked.

Saki waved her hands, "Let's stay on topic! What does the bruising have to do with Natsumi-chan's theory?"

"Okay, so Kotara corners his culprit and attacks them," Asuka said, "What if they were in the position to kick him backwards?"

Ayano questioned, "Is… strong enough?"

Itsuki glanced around the room, "In a moment of panic… I could see almost anyone here gaining that type of strength. However, is it possible based on what other facts we know?"

Yumiko nodded, "One of the blood splatters in the garden was right next to a wall! A person backed against it could press against the wall, and…"

Kenta held a fist to his chest, "So the culprit kicks Kotara-kun backwards. He'd be briefly disoriented, perhaps for up to a minute."

Natsumi continued, "Which lets Matsumoto-san steal the clipboard and run to the nearest safe space… the storage room."

"But why the storage room specifically?" Minoru asked.

Shun said, "Well, the restaurant was locked by that point, and the killer may have believed that they didn't have the time to climb the stairs to their room."

"They hide in the storage room… Then what?" Yumiko asked.

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "They wait, obviously. Wait for Kotara to disappear… then prepare to poison him."

Ayano blinked, "H-How?"

"I presume the culprit returned to the garden and picked the aconite leaves," Kazue said softly, "Morning comes, and they hide the leaves in Kotara's breakfast… and hand it to him themselves."

Arata took a deep breath, "That solves every issue, which means that Matsumoto-san is undoubtedly-"

"Being framed! By the real killer!" Masuyo insisted.

Hiroki rolled his eyes, "Are you _still_ on this?! Buddy, denial isn't going to save her life!"

Masuyo scowled, "Shut up! There are still other suspects."

Saki looked at the floor, "Who else could it be at this point?"

"You, for one!" Masuyo said, "You, Ishikawa-chan, and Tsutaya-chan knew there were poisonous plants in the garden."

Asuka closed her fist, "That doesn't prove shit-"

Masuyo kept talking, "Kanagaki-chan recognized the aconite! Ikeda-kun knew the details of a poisoning! _All_ of you are suspects."

"But Matsumoto is the only person who had access to the kitchen," Asuka said, feeling bile rise in her throat, "Not to mention, I _watched_ her hand Kotara his omelette."

Kenta added, "Plus, she's been really quiet ever since we accused her."

Hikari flinched, "I…!"

"To be fair," Shun said, "being reserved isn't proof of anything."

Itsuki responded, "But it is an indicator of wrongdoing amongst all this evidence… She's not even willing to defend herself."

Hiroki sighed dramatically, "Yeah, because Okawa won't shut up-"

"Yamura-chan!" Masuyo yelled over him, "She sits next to Kotara-kun! What if she picked the leaves and hid them under his food?"

Saki looked aghast, "I have no reason to do that!"

Masuyo sneered, "Sure you do! What if he was a threat to your position as 'leader,' huh? That's all the reason to murder him!"

Yumiko took a step onto Hiroki's podium and leaned past him, yelling directly at Masuyo's face, "Saki would _never!_ Take that back!"

Hiroki shoved Yumiko back onto her own podium, "Personal space!"

Asuka added, "Also, my attention span is not _that_ bad!"

Masuyo flinched, "W-Well, what if the killer is m-"

"Are you going to cover for her?!" Arata cried, "What is wrong with you?"

Itsuki scowled, "You're either suicidal, or an idiot, or-"

"Ghrk!"

Asuka frantically turned her head. Natsumi had doubled over, clutching her stomach as tears rolled down her pale face. She gasped for air, wheezing.

"Hey, what the hell?!" Asuka exclaimed, staring at her.

Minoru cried, "Uchiyama-san! What's wrong?"

Natsumi croaked, "I… may have touched the leaves… in the kitchen."

 _So she WAS in there! I knew she had to be-_

…

 _Wait._

 _Oh FUCK no._

Ayano squeaked, "B-But! Toxins…!"

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "Didn't Kanagaki say that the neurotoxins can be absorbed through skin contact?"

"Touching the leaves may cause feelings of numbness and nausea," Kazue admitted, "but they shouldn't do this."

Kenta frowned, "Unless she… Uchiyama-kun, did you _just_ touch them?"

Natsumi smiled weakly as she shuddered, "I… might have bit one. To see if I knew… what it was."

"Oh my god!" Kazue shouted, throwing herself off of her podium.

Arata recoiled, "What the hell?!"

Kazue continued, "Uchiyama, you are going to die if I don't induce vomiting this _instant!"_

 _And even then… She might not make it…_

Kazue reached Natsumi and tugged her off her own podium, fearlessly sticking her fingers down the blonde's throat.

Itsuki stood on the edge of his podium, leaning as far away from the two girls as he could, "N-Nobody else has shown any kind of reaction that might indicate contact with the aconite."

Minoru blinked, "Was… Was Ishikawa-san wrong? Is it possible that Uchiyama-san is _somehow_ the killer?"

"S-Stop struggling," Kazue cried, apparently having difficulty getting Natsumi to stay still.

"Hrgk!" was Natsumi's only reply to her as she continued to move.

Asuka bit her lip, "Why would she have told us that she touched the leaves, then? That's… stupid!"

"You're looking for the term 'self incrimination,'" Hachirou said.

Masuyo crossed her arms, "Matsumoto-chan isn't suffering from aconite poisoning at all!"

Ayano murmured, "Then why…?"

"Uchiyama-chan's the killer, and she's a fucking moron too! That's all!" Masuyo said snidely.

"It seems rather ridiculous to me," Arata said, "but Okawa-san's right in one regard. Matsumoto-san hasn't had a reaction to the neurotoxins."

Kazue yelled, "Uchiyama, don't fight me! I'm trying to save your life!"

Natsumi continued to writhe, as though she was actively trying to escape the sharpshooter's strong arms.

Chaotic yelling broke out across the room, but all Asuka could hear was dull rumbling in the back of her head, as her thoughts took over.

…

 _Uchiyama is the killer because nobody else has reacted like this?_

 _That…_

 _...doesn't seem right._

 _There has to be a way to prove that Matsumoto did it…_

 _Or I'm going to die._

Shun's voice rose above the calamity, "What are w-we going to do?!"

Kenta had his head in his hands, "Can Uchiyama-kun possibly be guilty?"

 _No._

 _But what am I missing?_

"How did we get it so wrong?" Yumiko whispered.

 _I have to think differently. It's not 'why hasn't anyone else been affected?'_

Ayano squeaked, "Is… will Uchiyama-san…?"

 _It's 'how did Matsumoto specifically avoid the neurotoxins?'_

…

 _I might…_

"Matsumoto," Asuka said, "You wear gloves all the time."

Minoru blinked, "What does that have to do with-"

"It means that she's the only person who could be the killer," Asuka raised her voice, "Wearing gloves means that she didn't have to worry about contact poisoning!"

"Holy fuck," Hiroki whispered.

Asuka gathered her strength and pointed directly at Hikari, "I don't want this to be true… but this is why _you're_ the killer, Hikari Matsumoto!"

For a long moment, the room was dead silent, save for Natsumi's sputtering and choking as she struggled against Kazue.

Then finally, Hikari spoke, "Uchiyama-san… I killed y-you too, didn't I?"

"Too?!" Masuyo cried.

Hikari tugged her hat over her eyes and sobbed, "I'm a m-monster! I've… I've ended t-two people's lives…"

Natsumi managed to wrench herself free, "No. Only one!"

"Excuse me?" Hachirou stared at her.

"That was… a lie," Natsumi said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "I wanted the culprit to confess, and we were running out of options. I never even touched the leaves!"

Kenta's mouth fell open, "What… What the fuck?"

Kazue stared blankly at her, then absently wiped her saliva covered fingers on her jeans.

 _...Ew._

Saki asked weakly, "You pretended to be poisoned so that Hikari-chan would talk?"

Natsumi shrugged, "It worked."

"You're _insane,"_ Itsuki spat.

Masuyo gripped her stand, "Y-You just goaded her into a confession! She-"

Hikari reached across Minoru's podium towards Masuyo, "Okawa-san, please s-stop."

"But Hikari-chan!" Masuyo croaked.

"I'm b-begging you," Hikari insisted, "I k-killed Kotara-san… and there's nothing that anybody c-can say that will change it."

Ugly, ugly silence, punctuated only by sobs, fell upon the room. Asuka couldn't stop staring at Hikari.

 _How did things go so wrong?_

"I… I think this is the part where the bear gets us to vote," Arata shuddered.

Monokuma punched the air, "You'd be correct! On your personalized screen, there is now an option to input your vote for the culprit. Just press on their face, and that'll be all."

Hikari jabbed her screen before anyone else could move. Asuka swallowed and looked down at the sixteen options.

 _Is it right? Even though she killed Kotara… does she deserve to die?_

Finally, she pressed down on the gardener's face. Despite being the first to accuse her, Asuka could barely bring herself to put the final nails in her coffin.

 _This shouldn't have happened._

Monokuma almost sung with glee, "That's everyone! Okay, time to tally the votes. This is the best part!"

A screen descended from the ceiling, hanging just above his throne. Despite the prior protests of a few people, the vote was unanimous; fifteen strikes against Hikari.

And as Asuka stared as the results, she felt herself dying a little bit inside.

Monokuma cackled, "Congratulations! The horrible blackened behind Kousuke Kotara's murder is… Hikari Matsumoto!"

Hikari hung her head, "It's t-true. I should h-have confessed as s-soon as it happened but I… I g-got scared. And I made everything worse."

Saki murmured, "Hikari-chan…"

Hikari removed her hat and tossed it across the courtroom towards Asuka, "You w-were right. Right about everything."

"You're hurt!" Kenta cried.

It was difficult to tell from across the room, but Asuka could see the wound on her head. She glanced down at Hikari's hat, and tensed at the sight of the dried blood staining the crown.

"I d-didn't have a choice," Hikari said, "The l-last thing I ever wanted was to kill anyone… but I h-had to stop Kotara-san."

Natsumi frowned, "Stop him from what?"

"From killing y-you," Hikari replied.

Natsumi's expression went blank, "What did you say?"

Hikari clarified, "Kotara-san… was g-going to kill you."

 _...What._

Saki shook her head, "That can't be true! Kousuke-chan wanted to keep everyone safe!"

Hiroki frowned, "He was kind of a hard-ass, but a murderer? It's not that we don't believe you, Matsumoto-"

"No, it's that we don't believe you," Hachirou said sternly.

"I-I'm not lying a-anymore!" Hikari cried.

Asuka's hand reached into her pocket, "I believe you. And I think I have proof."

 _This is…_

"Proof?" Ayano blinked.

Asuka pulled the mysterious scrap of paper out of her vest, "I found this hidden in the garden. I had no idea what it possibly could have meant until now."

Minoru grabbed his wrist, "That has Uchiyama-san's name written on it!"

Saki gulped, "That's… That's Kousuke-chan's handwriting."

Hikari said, "I heard him in the garden… He kept r-rambling about h-how he had to kill Uchiyama-san b-because she was dangerous. I watched h-him tear paper off his clipboard, and..."

Yumiko closed her fists, "I trusted him…"

Arata muttered, "We all did."

"So what did you do?" Itsuki asked.

Hikari closed her eyes, "I h-hit him. With my watering can. And then h-he chased me across the garden, where I g-got trapped."

Masuyo sniffled, "No… No!"

"He broke his c-clipboard over my head," Hikari whispered, "And I… I kicked him. J-Just like you all figured out earlier."

Asuka felt a lump in her throat, "Then you decided to poison him. Because it would be easy for you…"

Hikari whispered, "I d-don't deserve your sympathy, o-or your tears. I'm a m-murderer, and there's nothing e-else to say."

Shun said, "You were… trying to save Uchiyama-san, right?"

"B-But I almost didn't!" Hikari cried, "W-What if she really had d-died? What if I'd killed h-her as well?!"

Natsumi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression uneasy.

"And Okawa-san k-kept defending me, even though I didn't d-deserve it," Hikari murmured, "I shouldn't h-have kept quiet."

Kazue frowned, "Matsumoto… I'm going to say something horrible, and I'm very sorry, but… I think your actions were done in vain."

Hiroki blinked, "Huh? Why?"

"Because I don't believe Kotara was going to go through with murdering Uchiyama," Kazue replied, "Far from it."

Hikari went slack jawed.

"His announcement," Saki said dully, "He said it was about our safety… Was he going to confess to attempting to murder Natsumi-chan?"

Kazue folded her arms, "That's what I think, at least."

Hikari fell to her knees, "W-What have I done?!"

Monokuma cleared his throat, "I hate to break up the sobfest, but I'm getting bored over here. It's time to move on to the main event."

"What main event?!" Itsuki snapped.

 _...No._

"No!" Asuka shouted.

Monokuma laughed, "The execution is the most anticipated part of every class trial!"

Masuyo blanched, "You can't do that!"

Monokuma replied, "Unfortunately, that's what happens when you fail to get away with murder."

Arata closed his eyes, "This is sickening."

Kenta cried, "What… What if we fight you?"

Monokuma shrugged, "Then I'll execute you too. It's all the same for me, in the end. You kids mean nothing in the grand scheme of things!"

Hikari swallowed, "Can… Can I ask one last thing of you a-all?"

"Anything," Yumiko said.

Monokuma ignored her, "It's time to punish the bastard that disturbed the wonderful peace we were having on this vacation."

"Please… Please d-don't forget about me," Hikari whispered, forcing a smile onto her face, "That's a-all I want."

Asuka swallowed, "Of course."

"I've prepared a very special punishment for Hikari Matsumoto, the Super High School Level Gardener!" Monokuma cried.

"A-Aren't you scared?" Masuyo asked.

Hikari's smile flickered, "Terrified."

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's… PUNISHMENT TIIIME!"

"Goodbye," Hikari said softly, tears streaming down her face against her unstable smile.

Masuyo leapt onto Minoru's podium, throwing out her arm to catch Hikari's hand. Unfortunately, she was too late. Monokuma had already swung his gavel.

 **HIKARI MATSUMOTO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

 **COMMENCING PUNISHMENT.**

 **Blossoming Cobra Dance**

 **A large metal claw reached out of the wall and clamped around Hikari's neck. She screamed, but was tugged backwards into a hidden room.**

 **The screen that hung above Monokuma's head flickered, and all eyes were drawn towards it.**

 **Hikari stood on a grassy platform that was embellished with thorny plants, akin to a floating garden. The garden was continually rising at a breakneck speed. Large bramble tendrils bound her feet to the platform, and every time she moved, they tightened around her legs.**

 **Large grass snakes rose up from the ground, and wound around the platform. They snapped at Hikari's ankles, and she twitched, trying keep them from touching her.**

 **She fell to the ground, and brambles bound her arms and torso to the platform. The grass snakes grew closer, and Hikari slammed her eyes shut, too afraid to stare death in the face.**

 **The snakes bit into Hikari's skin, and she screamed, writhing in pain. The brambles grew tighter as she squirmed, and the snakes got bigger.**

 **The largest snake of all bit into her neck. Blood poured out of the wound, staining her skin and the grass. Hikari howled in pain until her limbs flopped uselessly onto the platform, her body still.**

 **Hikari Matsumoto was dead.**

Blood rushed to Asuka's head.

"You _sick freak!"_ Yumiko screeched.

"He actually… he killed her," Arata whispered.

Saki dragged her fingers through her hair, "This isn't happening…"

"I can't… not again!" Hiroki screamed.

Hachirou hunched over his podium, "She was in so much pain…"

Ayano had collapsed and was now a shaking ball on the ground. Beside her, Shun was twitching frantically.

Kenta murmured, "I can't believe she's gone."

Masuyo continued to sob, hitting the ground with her fist.

"Oh my god…" Minoru mumbled.

Kazue remained silent, but tears gleamed in her eyes.

Natsumi gripped her hair tight, "What have I…"

Itsuki retched.

Asuka's fingers tightened around the two bloodstained objects in her hands.

 _Why…_

 _Why did this…_

 _...have to…_

 _...happen?_

A bolt of blurry darkness coursed through her all at once, but she hardly registered that before she hit the floor.

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" _You ruined everything."_

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" _I know."_

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.

A tentative knock woke Asuka from her unclear thoughts. For one fleeting moment, it seemed that the living nightmares she'd witnessed were about to be revealed as false.

The sight of Kousuke's clipboard and Hikari's hat on the table next to her bed quickly dismissed the childish fantasy.

There was another knock at the door. Asuka drearily made her way to answer, dragging her feet.

Kazue was on the other side, "Hi, Ishikawa."

Asuka blinked, "Hi. Uh… What happened? And how did I get back here?"

"You fainted after the…" Kazue trailed off, "Hasekura carried you back."

Asuka bit her lip, "I'll have to thank him later. Why are you here?"

Kazue said, "Yamura's calling people to the lobby. I had to make sure that you were conscious."

 _...What does she want now?_

"I'll be there in a minute," Asuka promised.

Kazue scrutinized her, "If you say so. Whatever you decide… take care of yourself."

Asuka closed her eyes and rubbed her temple as the sharpshooter's footsteps faded out. Unconsciously, her other hand went into her pocket, and closed around a metal canister.

A lump formed in Asuka's throat, as she looked down at her feet.

 _...Just a minute. Won't take long._

…

 _I never got to…_

With her affairs sorted, Asuka left her room. It was some point after ten at night, as the lobby lights had gone out. There was only one speck of flickering brightness amongst the inky sea of darkness.

As Asuka got closer, she could see that Saki was holding a candle.

"That's everyone now," the confidant said, "It's late now, but… I'll be standing out here all night, to pay my final respects to Kousuke-chan and Hikari-chan. Anyone else who'd like to stay with me may, but I won't begrudge anyone sleep."

"May they pass on peacefully," Hachirou said.

Saki added, "I have a lot more to say, but I'll wait until morning. I just… want to apologize to the rest of you for being a selfish leader. I've made some bad mistakes these past few days."

Arata murmured, "A lot of us have."

"I just want to keep everyone safe," Saki whispered, "That's what matters. Good night, everyone. Please look out for yourselves… and for each other."

A few 'good nights' chorused through the crowd. A bitter, nasty headache poked at the back of Asuka's skull, and she turned around, treading back for the stairs. There was a high chance that she'd faint again, should she try to stay awake until morning.

Just as she reached her room again, a voice caught her attention.

"Hey."

Asuka looked over her shoulder to see Natsumi standing behind her. She tilted her head, "What?"

"Your shoes are damp," Natsumi replied, walking past her to get to her own room.

Asuka looked down at them and sighed.

"I know. They've been waterproofed."

 **CHAPTER ONE: MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED**

 **COMPLETE.**

 **14 STUDENTS REMAIN.**


	11. Interlude: How Can You Stop Them

**HOW CAN YOU STOP THEM FROM LYING ABOUT YOU?**

* * *

The sound of her high heels hitting the floor echoed all the way down the hall.

In her ear, there was a small beep, indicating someone required her attention. She pressed the button on the cellphone clipped to her ear.

"What?"

"Which suspect are you supposed to be visiting?" Her superior's gravely voice was no less irritating over the phone.

She glanced at the sheet pinned to her clipboard, "Eleven. Because they found her fingerprints at the scene."

He coughed into the receiver, "Change that to Sixteen. Eleven's still unconscious from the last interrogation."

She raised an eyebrow, "Did Hirano use shock therapy again?"

"That's irrelevant," he replied, which meant yes.

She reached the door. Behind it, the current prisoners were locked away.

To her superior, she said, "I'll ensure that Sixteen talks."

"Good. Lie to him, if you have to," he said before hanging up.

She rolled her eyes and placed her thumb on the scanner panel. There was a clicking noise, and the door slid open automatically.

The rows of cells inside looked the same as always, from their dirty metal floors, to the must growing on the walls.

A rat nipped as her ankles as she made her way down.

"Sixteen," she said dryly, banging her fist on the cell bars, "Wake up."

Sixteen's eyes shot open and he stumbled over, "Aoki-san! You have to get me out of here!"

Aoki scowled, "Don't treat me like I'm your friend."

"But… we are friends," he responded quietly.

Aoki looked at her clipboard, "Not after you committed a treason punishable by death."

He cried, "I'm innocent! You should know that better than anyone!"

Aoki reached into her pocket and produced a single match. She struck it on the wall, and held it up to his face, "Really?"

"What the hell?!" Sixteen shouted, "Did you torture Kojima-san too?!"

Aoki replied, "Eleven is none of your concern. Why don't you tell me why we have a witness who saw you leaving the scene?"

Sixteen hissed, "You… You're lying. Aoki-san, we were together-"

"Are you trying to confuse me?" she asked, "It won't work. We know that you're guilty. All Shikiba wants is your confession."

Sixteen whispered, "Are all of you out of your minds? This isn't going to find the culprit!"

"Confess," Aoki said.

"Is this why Kagome-san is dead?!" he exclaimed, "What about Tsukuda-san?! How many more people is this damn company going to murder?!"

"We have not killed," Aoki responded, "We merely ended another's life."

Sixteen shook the cell bars, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Aoki sighed, "I didn't want to have to do this, Sixteen, but you leave me no choice."

He choked, "That's not my name… Please, Aoki-san. Don't let me die here."

Aoki grit her teeth, "You won't win me over. It has to be you… Which means that I'll do anything to make you talk."

"At least tell me what you did to the kid," Sixteen said, "You… you wouldn't hurt-"

"That's not your business, Okada!" Aoki screeched.

Okada's eyes grew wide, "Y-You! You remembered-"

Aoki tightened her resolve and brought the flaming match to his skin, letting Okada - no, Sixteen - howl until he collapsed.

* * *

 _(From a newspaper clipping dated June 2nd 20XX)_

"Today we mourn the passing of Susumu Okada, an honest, selfless, and benevolent member of society. He unfortunately perished in a fire that destroyed his life's work. We can only hope that his goal of-" _(The rest of the text is illegible.)_


	12. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (1)

The death of another person is a tragic experience.

Losing a person who meant a great deal to you, no matter how long you knew them, can affect you for even years after the initial date of death.

Grieving is not a simple process. Some people never truly stop grieving. It is a harsh ordeal that forces people to confront their worst selves.

Moving past death is difficult as it is…

…

…And watching someone die in front of you makes it even harder.

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When she opened her eyes again, Asuka had no idea whether or not it was morning. Every single part of her body ached.

 _Sit up. Breathe._

But as she moved, her vision flashed.

Kousuke, drowning in blood and vomit. Hikari, her throat being torn to shreds.

Two people that she'd seen breathing and alive, only the morning before.

…

Had it really only been a _day?_

Asuka's fingers tightened around her quilt.

 _How did it end up like this?_

Staring at her wall and trying not to cry weren't exactly getting her anywhere. With a lump in her throat, she got to her feet and shuffled out the door.

Morning hadn't yet come, as the lobby remained dim. Soft orange and pink sunlight shone in through the very narrow windows by the door, but it wasn't enough to illuminate the room.

Something creaked a ways to her right. Asuka turned her head to see Masuyo treading out of her room, her eyes trained on the floor. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink.

Though, considering her behaviour the day prior, Asuka would have been surprised to learn that she _had._

 _Maybe I should say something to her…_

"Hey," Asuka approached her carefully, "I thought you'd be with Yamura still."

Masuyo muttered, "I wanted to, but… I couldn't be around anyone else."

Asuka bit her lip, "Ah. Do you… want to talk at all?"

 _I really doubt I can be any help, but I should at least offer…_

"She was the first person who ever made me feel loved," Masuyo mumbled.

"The first?" Asuka echoed.

 _Ever?_

"You grow so attached to someone in a short amount of time and you lose her even quicker," Masuyo continued softly, "You falter and you fail her… You blink and all that love is gone."

Asuka said, "She was really important to you, huh?"

Masuyo nodded, her eyes brimming with tears as she began to shake, before slumping to the floor.

Asuka reached out to perhaps squeeze her shoulder in comfort, then paused, remembering what happened to the last person who tried that.

Instead, she crouched down so that she was level with Masuyo's face, "Hey. You told Matsumoto something back in the trial… to keep her chin up. Take your own advice, Okawa."

"Why?" Masuyo replied, wiping her eyes.

Asuka said, "We can't let _either_ of their deaths be for nothing. So… cry if you need to. But don't wallow."

Masuyo mumbled, "T-Thanks. I'll… try. Or something."

 _That… worked? Maybe? I really pulled it out of my ass._

"I'll come downstairs in a sec," Masuyo continued quietly, "I just… need a moment."

"Sure, that's chill. See you," Asuka said, taking a few steps towards the stairs.

 _Don't do anything stupid, please._

As she made her way down, a bell went off above her head.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

 _Ah. Great._

The lobby lights flickered on as soon as the announcement finished, illuminating the four people situated in it.

Saki was kneeling on the floor, clutching a burnt out candle stub in her fist. Yumiko had fallen asleep, her head resting on the former's lap. Kazue and Hachirou were standing a little ways away, hands folded and eyes closed.

As she approached, their heads turned, but Hachirou was the first to break the silence, " _Bon matin,_ Ishikawa."

"Uh, hi," Asuka waved awkwardly, "Were you guys here all night?"

Saki nodded, stifling a yawn, "Yes. I… couldn't bear to sleep after that.

Kazue nodded solemnly, stroking the end of her ponytail as though captivated by another thought. Asuka didn't have to think hard to guess what it might have been.

Yumiko jerked awake, as though she'd been startled by a nightmare. The sweat rolling down her pale face essentially confirmed that.

"I-Is it already morning?" she choked out, shaking slightly.

Hachirou replied, "It most certainly is. It is time to face the sixth morning the best we can… even in the wake of such a tragedy."

"Six days…" Asuka murmured.

It felt like a lifetime had passed since they'd all first arrived. Bile burned at the bottom of her throat.

Saki said, "If it's not any trouble, would you three mind waiting in the restaurant? I need to talk to Asuka-chan about something."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The others nodded and headed for the double doors, leaving her alone with Saki. They both waited until the doors had swung shut behind them before even daring to speak.

"You don't have to pretend anymore," Saki broke the tension first.

Asuka blinked, "Pretend? What the fuck are you talking about?"

Saki replied, "I know that you don't really care about being a leader. So don't push yourself to pretend to. You don't have to act like everyone's well being is your priority."

"You just want me out of your way," Asuka crossed her arms.

Saki brushed her hair off her shoulder, "Maybe I do. Because unlike you, _I_ know what I'm doing, and I plan on keeping everyone alive."

Asuka hissed, "Well, you've done a great job of that so far."

Saki's voice dropped, "This is exactly what I'm talking about. You don't care about anyone else."

"I saved your life in that trial," Asuka replied testily.

Saki looked away, "You saved yourself. The rest of us were collateral."

 _This fucking situation is everyone for themselves! I don't know any of you!_

…

 _I trusted two people and they..._

Asuka rolled her eyes, "I'll fuck off if that's what you want so bad. But for your information, I _do_ care. They were my friends."

Saki didn't respond. Asuka stomped off towards the restaurant.

 _I 'don't care' about anyone but myself, huh?_

 _Joke's on you, bitch._

The three people who had entered the restaurant were sitting on their own. Asuka sighed softly. Hachirou would probably give her a headache so early in the morning, and with how attached Yumiko was to Saki, Asuka wasn't in the mood to approach her.

That left her with Kazue. Asuka shrugged and crossed to the back of the room. The sharpshooter was a quiet girl, so it could be much worse.

Kazue seemed distracted when she arrived, so Asuka knocked on the table twice, "Hey. Can I sit here?"

She jumped, then nodded, "I don't have a problem with it."

Her voice sounded hoarse.

Asuka pulled out a chair and sat down, staring at the wood grain on the table. She scratched it absently, a tightness growing in her throat.

 _Not again…_

"Did something happen between you and Yamura?" Kazue asked suddenly, "I… couldn't help but notice."

"I really don't want to talk about it," Asuka said flatly.

Kazue nodded and kept her gaze level, staring at the doors. Asuka hardly looked up, but judging by the slow trickle of footsteps throughout the room, she guessed that the rest of the class was arriving.

She didn't really move until a small bowl was placed in front of her. Asuka looked up to see Ayano smiling at the two of them nervously.

"Morning…" the small girl said, "Uh… enjoy?"

Kazue poked her bowl, "Is this applesauce?"

Ayano nodded, then her eyes went wide, "Allergy?"

Kazue shook her head, "No, I was just wondering. Thank you very much."

"Didn't think… very much appetite," Ayano mumbled, fiddling with the flower charm on her necklace.

Asuka glanced around the restaurant. Nobody was eating, but she could hardly blame them. She wasn't at all hungry herself.

The apple sauce smelled too much like the hospital, and looked too much like vomit. Again, Kousuke flashed through her mind.

Asuka waited for Ayano to get a safe distance away, and quietly pushed the bowl across the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kazue do the same.

 _This doesn't feel right. Waking up and coming back here… when Kotara and Matsumoto never will again._

A clearing of the throat brought her attention back to reality. Saki had stood up, and was glancing around the room. She looked a lot smaller standing all alone.

"M-Morning, everyone," she began carefully, "I'm really glad to see that you all made it here-"

"Those of us who survived," Itsuki grumbled. When met with a couple uncomfortable looks, he added, "Two people fucking died. Don't try and pretend they didn't."

Saki tensed, "I wasn't… trying to pretend nothing changed. But if we stay stuck in a rut like this…"

Hiroki crossed his arms, "In a rut? People are dead, and we had to watch it happen! That's fucked no matter how you slice it."

"I'm not saying that it isn't messed up," Saki responded, starting to shake, "What I mean is that… while we grieve and remember, we have to keep going. The rest of us have to get out of here together, and live for the sake of Kousuke-chan and Hikari-chan."

Yumiko nodded, "That's a really good way to put it! We can't let their deaths be for nothing."

"And we can't let anyone else die," Kazue whispered, so quiet that Asuka could barely hear her.

Saki clasped her hands, "So, let's do our best today, and every day. I know that we'll all escape soon… together."

"Are you done yet?"

Asuka bared her teeth instinctively. Monokuma was standing on one of the empty tables, yawning.

Arata clenched his fists together, "Y-You're… back already?"

Monokuma replied, "I never left, music room! I'm always watching… Always ensuring that you bastards are following the rules."

Arata flinched.

 _What kind of a fucking nickname is that?_

Monokuma continued, "Anyways! If you lot are done being boring, I have a wonderful present for you!"

"We don't want any more of your presents," Shun said.

"So ungrateful," Monokuma said, "But I suppose that's a summary of today's youth."

Itsuki snapped, "What's your point?"

Monokuma said, "Every time that you successfully complete a class trial, I'll open up a new area for you to discover! It's a lovely reward, since nobody ever appreciates my artful executions."

"Because they're sickening," Natsumi said.

Monokuma laughed, "You'll come to appreciate me! Now, go on, shoo! I didn't put all that work into this place for nothing. You'll find the route right outside!"

With that, he vanished, leaving the echo of his ugly laugh behind in the air.

Saki spoke firmly, "We should go see what he's talking about. There might be a way to escape from this place."

 _Somehow, I doubt it'll be that simple._

Asuka waited a moment, watching as the rest of the class filed out of the restaurant. Her stomach felt tight.

"Are you coming?" Kazue asked, standing halfway across the room.

Asuka nodded, "Yeah. I just need a second. You go on ahead."

Kazue hesitated, then said, "Okay. Take care of yourself."

 _No promises._

Asuka waited until the sharpshooter was gone, then trudged out of the restaurant. The lobby held the same haunting silence as it did the previous day, though all traces of Kousuke were gone.

She avoided stepping on the tiles where he had lay anyways.

Outside, the blazing sunlight hit Asuka with intensity. She held a hand to her forehead as she began to walk down the hill, stopping at the sight of a long rope bridge that was bolted to the ground.

At the other end of the bridge looked to be another island, with a large building on it.

"That wasn't there before," Asuka whispered.

She put one foot on the bridge. It creaked and swayed slightly, but it stayed standing.

 _So it's not a hallucination. ...Okay._

Asuka kept both hands on the rope handrails as she crossed the bridge. Halfway across, she closed her eyes, feeling ugly sickness from the motion.

Finally, she reached solid ground on the other side. Asuka rubbed her temples as her heartbeat returned to a normal pace.

Similar to the hotel, the building on this new cliff had a set of heavy double doors. It took Asuka two tries to pull them open.

Inside was a narrow, L-shaped hallway. The muted green and black floor tiles checkerboarded all the way down. The lighting was significantly dimmer than in the main hotel. Sets of wooden double doors lined the hall in an alternating pattern.

 _Huh. This place is kind of…_

 _...ugly._

Asuka took a deep breath and began to make her way down. She paused at the first set of doors, yanking one of them open to step inside.

What greeted her was magnificent library. Rows and rows of mahogany shelves, stuffed with books, filled over half the room. The space that remained was taken up by low tables and chairs.

Sitting at one of those tables was Itsuki. Asuka decided that it was best to get her daily headache out of the way.

"Hey you," she said, approaching the table, "What do you think of this place?"

Itsuki's scowl somehow got worse than usual, "Never expected to see _you_ in a place like this."

Asuka crossed her arms, "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

Itsuki replied, "Delinquents and libraries don't usually mix."

Asuka leaned closer, hissing, "I'm not a fucking delinquent, you piece of shit."

"You're doing a spectacular job proving me wrong," Itsuki sneered.

Asuka pulled away, seething, "I saved your life. Remember that."

"Arrogance will get you nowhere," Itsuki responded, "You didn't save anyone."

 _I know._

"Shut up," Asuka muttered, retreating into the shelves.

 _I couldn't save them… Couldn't do anything._

…

Asuka made a small hissing sound.

"The lack of organization is quite the issue, I agree."

 _Uh?_

Asuka looked around to see that Hachirou stood about a foot away, holding several books in his arms and frowning.

"Is it that bad?" Asuka asked, not entirely sure what he was talking about.

Hachirou nodded, reshelving two of the books and pulling out another three, "Whoever shelved all these books did an abysmal job. It's not organized under any system that I can recognize."

Asuka crossed her arms, "That, uh, sucks. Guess whoever's behind this shit doesn't know anything about libraries."

Hachirou reshelved another set of books, "Few do. It is yet another _grande tragédie_ of this brutish world."

"I think there's more important things to be concerned about," Asuka said, "Like… the fact that we're missing two people."

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "Yes. Grief is a cruel mistress. But dwelling on the past mistakes of others will not enhance what remains of our own lives."

Asuka blinked, "Well… I guess? But don't say it like that. You make it sound like we're completely screwed."

"I hesitate to use such crude language, but there is a chance we are," Hachirou replied.

Asuka carefully walked around him, "...Okay. Great talking to you."

 _What the fuck?_

Ignoring his huff, Asuka continued down through the aisles of books, until she reached the back of the room. Nestled between two large shelves was a small door. It was slightly ajar, and Asuka put her hand on the knob to enter, when she heard voices from inside.

"Do… you mind if I talk to you?"

"S-Sure. What?"

Asuka paused. She recognized the voices as belonging to Minoru and Masuyo, who had enough tension between them to be cut with a knife.

 _I shouldn't… listen…_

 _But what if something happens?_

 _...Just for a second._

"I wanted to apologize for what happened the other night," Minoru began, "I had no idea that I'd be upsetting you so much."

Masuyo's reply was dull and quiet, "It wasn't your fault. If anything, Ikeda-kun should be saying sorry. ... _I_ should be saying sorry."

Minoru said, "No, I should've-"

"Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't personal at all," Masuyo mumbled, "I'm just… really bad about being touched. All you tried to do was help me up."

"Are you sure?" Minoru asked.

"Mm. If it had been anyone else here, the same thing would've happened," Masuyo replied hoarsely, "Except… maybe for her."

Minoru went quiet for a moment, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't kill her," Masuyo said softly, "I just wish she… that I had…"

She sniffled. Asuka backed away from the door.

 _...Sorry, Okawa._

Asuka waited a minute or so, trying to find something interesting on the bookshelves to stare at, then openedthe door and stepped inside.

"Hey," she said as neutrally as possible.

Minoru said, "Ah, good morning, Ishikawa-san."

Masuyo only waved.

Asuka glanced around the space. The room couldn't be much bigger than a closet, and the three of them barely fit inside. The shelves inside were also stuffed, but with files in manilla folders instead of hardcover books.

"What is this place?" Asuka asked.

Minoru pulled one of the files out, "I think it's an archive room? Mostly for what looks like true crime."

Masuyo muttered, "Stupid bear probably wants to offer us inspiration."

Asuka grabbed a file at random and flipped through it. It looked to be as Minoru had said, until she got to a page near the back, and nearly dropped the folder.

"Christ, there's photos in here!" Asuka cried, wincing at the sight of a bloodied corpse.

Minoru looked up, "What? The ones over here just have diagrams…"

Asuka closed the file and replaced it, then grabbed another one, to be certain. Sure enough, there were photos of a couple corpses in that one too.

"Why do some of them have photos, while the rest only have drawings?" Minoru wondered, tugging on his sleeves.

Asuka shuddered, "I don't know… There's so _many_ of these in here."

Masuyo murmured, "There's at least fifty on that shelf alone."

 _What the hell is this place? What else does Monokuma know that we don't?_

…

 _I'm not even sure if I want to find out._

"I'm going to keep poking around in here," Minoru said, frowning, "Maybe there's something in here we can… use."

Masuyo said quietly, "I can help."

Asuka bit her lip, "Okay. Good luck, I guess. I should probably keep exploring this place."

"See you later," Minoru said, kneeling down and selecting a folder.

Masuyo nodded, "Bye."

 _Alright… Guess I have to keep moving._

 _...It feels weird not having a guide with me this time._

 _I miss you, Kotara._

Asuka made her way out of the library and into the long hallway again.

The next set of doors stood on the left hand side of the hall. Asuka didn't know what she was expecting, but it wasn't luxurious red carpeting and a high ceiling.

Where she had entered seemed to be the aisle between two full sets of red and black theatre seats. The aisle itself was lined with impressive looking suits of armour, each holding a sword.

On the far side of the room was a raised stage. Stage lights - that seemed to be moving around by themselves - shone down on the room from above.

 _Looks… expensive._

Sitting on the stairs to the stage was Saki, who was writing something in a small notebook. Asuka gritted her teeth and approached her.

"This place looks kind of dangerous," Asuka said by way of greeting.

Saki looked up, quickly closing her book and tucking it into her pocket, "Oh, Asuka-chan! I didn't hear you come in."

Asuka said, "You seemed pretty preoccupied."

Saki laughed sheepishly, then hardened her expression, "I should apologize. What I said to you earlier was uncalled for."

 _Yeah it was!_

"Thanks," Asuka said, "Sorry for calling you a bitch."

Saki frowned, "I, uh, didn't know you did that."

 _Whoops._

Asuka shrugged and took another glance around the room, "Is this a concert hall?"

"It looks like one," Saki responded, getting to her feet, "But I couldn't say for sure."

Asuka folded her arms and stared at one of the suits of armour, "I really don't like these things. Do you think they're dangerous?"

Saki smiled, "I checked them all! They're not real, see?" She stood on her tiptoes and poked the top of one of the swords.

Asuka ran her hand along the sword. Sure enough, while it was metal, it wasn't sharp in the slightest.

"I think it's just meant to make us paranoid," Saki continued, "Monokuma seems to enjoy that."

 _No kidding._

The stage lights twisted around in a circle. Asuka frowned, "Why the hell is…"

Saki chuckled, "Oh, Yumiko's up in the light booth. I guess she's having a bit too much fun."

 _Her and Tsutaya again, huh? Wonder what their deal is._

"I didn't know there was a booth," Asuka answered.

Saki pointed to a small black door on the far wall, "You can get to it through there."

Asuka said, "Maybe I'll check it out for myself."

"Wait," Saki said, holding out her hand, "Again, I'm really sorry about how rude I was to you. I'm trying to be a better leader… and your contributions are important."

 _I wasn't THAT torn up about it._

Asuka crossed her arms, "I appreciate it. But you were a little right… I don't know what I'm doing."

Saki laughed weakly, "Neither do I. But, um…"

"What?" Asuka frowned.

Saki's gaze turned downcast, "Do you think Kousuke-chan would know what to do next? I keep going to ask him for advice, and… I miss him."

"I miss him too," Asuka said quietly, "But you're both human. I don't think he'd be certain about where we should go from here, but I imagine that he'd trust your judgement."

Saki ran a hand through her hair, "You think so?"

Asuka shrugged, "I mean, I hope so. ...We only knew him a few days."

Saki scuffed her shoe on the carpet, "We did."

Asuka waited a few moments more, then said, "Don't beat on yourself. We're all gonna get out of this place."

"You're right," Saki said, her bright smile returning, "All of us, together."

 _Please…_

 _I've seen far too many people die._

Asuka turned her back and headed for the door to the light booth, weaving her way through the array of chairs. On the other side of the door was a dark and cramped staircase. She sighed, ducked her head, and began to climb.

At the top of the stairs was a low-ceilinged room that was almost completely black. The only light came in through a small skylight.

Yumiko stood at a small control panel, next to a window that overlooked the concert hall. The blonde seemed to be enjoying herself, pressing buttons and moving dials.

"Hey," Asuka opened, not entirely sure what to say.

Yumiko turned around, "Hey! Nice to see you."

 _Someone's cheery…_

Asuka asked, "Find anything interesting up here? Aside from the controls for the lights?"

Yumiko smiled sheepishly, "I've always wondered what it's like to be in technical control of a show. But there isn't very much else in here, except for the window."

Asuka glanced at the skylight, "It's pretty small. Does it open?"

Yumiko nodded, "Yeah! Uchiyama-san climbed through it earlier. I don't have a clue what's up there, myself."

Asuka took a few curious steps towards it, then tugged on a small handle on the skylight until it opened.

"I'm going to take a look," she said.

Yumiko was already back to messing with the lights, "Okay! Have fun!"

The gravity of the situation hadn't seemed to have hit her. Asuka swallowed uncomfortably, then gripped the edges of the window and pulled herself up through the hole.

Bright sunlight contrasted violently with the darkness of the booth. Asuka squinted as she heaved herself onto what she realized was the roof of the building.

All she could see in the distance, save for the hotel, was open air and the fatal drop off the edge of the cliffs.

Standing near the far corner was Natsumi, as Yumiko had said, her back turned.

"Morning, Uchiyama," Asuka said, hoping that she wouldn't startle the blonde.

Natsumi turned around, a smile forming on her face as she spotted her, "Hi. I wasn't expecting anyone else to come up here."

"I'm full of surprises," Asuka muttered, "Are you doing… Well, 'okay' is the wrong word, but-"

Natsumi replied, "I know what you mean. But I should be asking you that. After all, it was your friends who died."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, and one of those friends was going to _murder_ you. My question stands."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Natsumi said, flicking a strand of hair out of her face.

Asuka frowned, "Wouldn't be the first- How often do people try to kill you?!"

Natsumi laughed and batted her eyelashes, "I wonder. You really do like to take people at face value."

Asuka grit her teeth. Somehow, she'd managed to forget she was talking to a pathological liar.

"If you're not going to say anything else, would you mind leaving me alone?" Natsumi asked, "I'm doing some thinking."

Asuka took a step back, "Yeah, sure. Have fun."

 _What is going on in your head?_

Asuka sighed and climbed back down into the lighting booth, then headed back down the stairs into the concert hall. There had to be more to the odd building.

She didn't get more than a couple steps into the hall before she nearly collided with someone else.

"Whoa, watch out!"

Asuka rubbed her head as her vision realigned itself, "I didn't see you."

Kenta said, "No worries! You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine," she muttered, "Just a little surprised."

Kenta didn't seem convinced, "You sure? I really don't want-"

Asuka huffed, "I said that I'm fine! Relax, dude."

"Sorry," he said quietly, rubbing his neck.

 _What the hell is his deal?_

Asuka said, "It's- Never mind. Have you seen anything… helpful so far?"

Kenta shook his head, "Not really? But I've only been to the spa and the library so far."

"There's a spa?" Asuka questioned.

Kenta pointed behind her, "Down the hall and around the corner. I didn't see much in there, but… I'm not really that observant."

Asuka hummed quietly.

 _I guess I'll have to head in there myself._

Suddenly, Kenta said, "U-Uh, shit, I need to go. I mean, I really need to see what's in here. Bye!"

With that, he flung open the door to the concert hall and dashed inside.

 _...Okay?_

Asuka shrugged and turned around with a shake of her head. She made it down to the end of the hall and turned right.

At this point, she noticed Hiroki, who was jogging back and forth, looking all around the halls.

"Looking for something?" Asuka asked, raising an eyebrow, "Did you lose a contact lens or something?"

Hiroki looked up, "Huh? Nah, my vision is perfect, like the rest of me."

…

 _Alright._

"I'm just wondering if there's a dentists office in this place," he continued nonchalantly.

"You're what?" Asuka blinked, "Why?"

Hiroki stared at her with an annoyed expression, then opened his mouth and pointed directly at it. One of his front teeth was gone.

Asuka winced, "Oh."

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah. It's pretty shitty."

Asuka said, "But… would you really want Monokuma to be giving you dental surgery?"

Hiroki thought for a moment, "You make a good point. I dunno, though. After this long, it might be worth it."

"What even happened?" Asuka asked, "If you don't mind me asking?"

Hiroki took a deep breath, "God… I was like twelve? And I guess I pissed off this kid in my class a bit too much, cause he randomly knocked me to the ground and started beating the shit out of me."

Asuka blinked, "What the fuck?!"

"I know!" Hiroki shouted, "That son of a bitch gave me two black eyes, and knocked my tooth out. Like, okay? What the fuck?"

Asuka bit her lip, "That's really fucking awful… Did that guy at least get punished?"

Hiroki shrugged, "Dunno. I transferred schools right after that. But I heard that his parents bailed him out or something."

Asuka scowled, "Ugh. Disgusting."

Hiroki nodded, "Yeah…"

"Good luck finding your dentist," Asuka said.

Hiroki grinned again, "Thanks! I'm gonna keep looking."

Then he jogged off in the direction of the concert hall.

Asuka waited a moment, then turned her attention to the closest set of doors. They were lighter than some of the previous ones had been.

The room inside was almost entirely black and white. She frowned, seeing shelves upon shelves of merchandise styled after Monokuma.

"What the fuck is this place?"

As if to answer her question, the bear himself popped out of a basket of plushies in his likeness near the door.

"Welcome!" he exclaimed, "Presenting, Monokuma's Magical Gift Shop! Where all your dreams come true!"

"More like all my nightmares," someone else whispered.

Asuka glanced around to see Shun crouched by one of the shelves, rubbing his forehead. One of the plushies lay on the floor next to him.

Monokuma hmphed, "Ingrates, the lot of you! I go to all this effort to convert this trashy little shop into a utopia, and what thanks do I get?!"

"Convert?" Asuka echoed, "So this room wasn't always…"

 _This much of an eyesore?_

Monokuma went silent at that.

Shun asked nervously, "Do you… want us to purchase these trinkets?"

"This is beautifully manufactured merchandise!" Monokuma exclaimed, crossing his arms, "I'm not going to stand here and take your unwanted criticisms any longer! Goodbye!"

Asuka watched as he sunk back into the basket, then slowly made her way to where Shun was standing, "That was… something."

Shun tucked his hands into the pocket of his hoodie, "This room is… is so unsettling. Everything in the room has his face on it."

Asuka kicked the shelf closest to her, watching as the Monokuma themed snow globes shook.

Shun flinched, "P-Please don't do that."

Asuka took a step back, "My bad. Are you good, or…"

Shun said, "I'm fine. But, uh, I'm going to head somewhere else… All this black and white is giving me a headache."

"Have fun," Asuka responded, looking across the small room. She waited until Shun was gone, then kicked the shelf again.

 _Narcissistic fucking bear._

Asuka sighed and ventured further into the gift shop. Past several rows of shelves, close to the far back wall, was a low table and two plastic chairs. On top of the table was a box of crayons and a stack of colouring books.

 _What's that doing in here, I wonder?_

Ayano stood about a foot away from the table, staring at it intently.

"Hey again, Chiba," Asuka said.

Ayano jumped and turned to face her. She opened her mouth, paused for a moment, then spoke, "Hi."

 _Quite the buildup for one word…_

"What do you think of all… this?" Asuka asked, awkwardly gesturing to the shop, "If anything?"

Ayano smiled weakly, "Uh…Nice? Shows Monokuma's… kindness."

Asuka blinked, "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Kind to us… letting see other places," Ayano elaborated shakily, making hand gestures, "Maybe… not as bad bear?"

Asuka stared at her for a moment, "I really don't think anything about this situation is him being kind. It's just more incentive to kill."

Ayano gripped her ponytail tight, "P-Probably true."

…

 _Weird._

Asuka glanced over her shoulder, her eyes catching a glint on the wall. She frowned and approached the sudden sheen, her expression morphing into one of horror.

Attached to the wall was a large glass case, with six switchblades inside it.

"Dear god…" Asuka whispered.

Ayano wrung her hands, "Oh. Bad."

Asuka closed her fists, "Yeah, that's a way to put it."

 _It hasn't even been a fucking day…_

"I see you've noticed the main attraction!"

Ayano squeaked and ducked behind Asuka. The taller girl assumed a protective stance as she turned her head to face the grating voice.

"You're back already?" Asuka scowled.

Monokuma pouted, "You say that like you're not happy to see me!"

Asuka replied, "Because I'm _not."_

"Kids these days…" Monokuma grumbled, "But anyways, I'd like to present my special line of switchblades! These are the only ones in the world."

"And… want killing with…" Ayano breathed.

Asuka said, "There won't be a murder. We're going to get out of this place."

Monokuma grinned, "Should've let Chrysanthemum know that."

"You son of a bitch," Asuka whispered, curling her fist. Ayano grabbed her wrist and tugged it back.

 _She wasn't… Neither of them…_

Monokuma said, "Just give me a holler anytime you'd like one! All you have to do is ask!"

Asuka scowled as the bear vanished again, "Still think he's being kind to us?"

Ayano sniffled, but didn't respond to the question.

"We shouldn't stay here," Asuka continued, "You want to come with me?"

Ayano shook her head, "Going to find… Bye."

 _...Yeah, wouldn't want to hang around with me either._

Asuka sighed softly, then left the gift shop, forcing herself not to look back at the glass case.

There wasn't another door along either side of the hall, so Asuka turned the corner. About halfway down, to her left, was the next entrance. She pushed her way in, only to be immediately overcome by steam and a strong scent.

 _Is this the spa that Hasekura mentioned?_

"Is something… burning?" she questioned as she waved her hand in front of her face.

"That's hydrogen peroxide," came a quick reply.

Asuka turned. Kazue was standing close by, next to a small metal cart that was covered with bottles, towels, and tissues.

"It's good disinfectant in case somebody gets hurt," the sharpshooter continued, "But it is rather strong…"

Asuka nodded and blinked a couple times, "God, no kidding. At least it's not perfume."

Kazue tilted her head, "Perfume?"

"Oh, there was this girl at my middle school who always smelled like perfume," Asuka said, "Really sweet girl, she was great, but I always had migraines when I was with her."

Kazue nodded solemnly, "That does sound troublesome."

Asuka sighed, "Yeah… I haven't heard from her in years, though. I… want to say that she got into Hope's Peak too? Don't know."

Kazue said, "It's always the ones we lose whom we remember the best."

Her voice was suddenly much quieter.

"Are you thinking about them too?" Asuka asked.

Kazue replied, "Who isn't? I… can't ever get that out of my head."

 _Right… she had to watch Kotara… God._

Asuka said, "Do you, uh, need something? Or should I leave you alone?"

Kazue shrugged and tucked her hands into her pockets, "I don't know. But don't let me drag you away from looking around. I don't want to be trouble."

"You're not trouble," Asuka responded, "Don't do anything stupid, Kanagaki."

To her surprise, Kazue chuckled weakly, "I'll try."

The girl's attention returned to the small cart. Asuka watched her for a moment, then drifted further into the steam filled room.

It was difficult to see, but along the right side of the wall was a spluttering fountain. Hanging above it was a shelf overstuffed with nail products; files and polishes alike.

Asuka stared down at the fountain, watching the light pink water circulate, then rubbed her forehead.

 _Is the water scented? Gross._

At the back of the spa was a large, simmering pool. Nearby were two massage tables, and sitting atop one of them was Arata.

Asuka wearily approached him, "Takishida."

Arata jumped, apparently unaware of her presence, and said, "H-Hi. Sorry, I didn't notice you."

 _Clearly._

Asuka scrutinized him for a moment. The dark circles under his eyes seemed much worse than usual. She began, "Are you…"

Arata rubbed his neck, "I didn't exactly sleep last night."

Asuka crossed her arms, "Ah. I can't blame you."

He continued, "I think I've had… four hours?"

"That's not that bad," Asuka raised an eyebrow.

"Since we got here," Arata clarified, absently running a finger along the scar on his forehead.

Asuka blinked, "It's been almost a week."

Arata nodded, "It has."

Asuka glanced over her shoulder, then looked back at Arata, "That… isn't fucking good for you."

"I know," Arata muttered, his gaze glossing over slightly.

 _How the hell do I get out of this conversation?_

"I'll be fine," he added quietly, "Just… need time."

Asuka bit her lip, "We all do."

 _But who knows how much more we have? Even after seeing what happened to Kotara and Matsumoto… Someone might still be trying to get out of here._

Arata didn't seem to be responding anymore, so Asuka took that as her chance to ditch the place. The spa was making her feel lightheaded.

Back in the halls, Asuka kept walking and turned the corner again, only to frown. The only door was the one that lead back outside.

 _So this building just loops around, huh?_

Masuyo was standing next to the front doors, scuffing at the ground with her sandals.

"Hey, Okawa," Asuka greeted, "How did the library search go?"

She shrugged, "Dunno. Fujita-kun's still looking. Thinks he can find something crucial."

 _If it's anyone, it'll be him… Maybe his talent can be useful._

Asuka said, "Do you want to head back? You look like you could use something to eat."

"You're one to talk," Masuyo muttered, crossing her arms.

Asuka rubbed her neck. So someone had noticed.

 _Get a grip. You're allowed to eat._

"I'll eat something if you will," Asuka offered weakly.

Masuyo sighed, "Fine. If you're gonna be like that..."

Asuka pushed the door open and held it for the smaller girl. Masuyo went ahead, crossing the bridge in silence. Asuka followed after her, gripping the rope tight.

The bridge seemed to sway less, but she felt sick just the same.

The two reached the restaurant quickly. Masuyo slumped down at the first table she saw, staring blankly at her hands.

"Do you want anything in particular?" Asuka asked.

Masuyo mumbled, "I don't care. Anything's fine."

 _Fruit it is._

Asuka pushed open the kitchen door, wrinkling her nose as she did. The scent of fish wafted through the whole room.

"Hi, Ishikawa-san!"

Asuka's eyes darted around. Standing at the stove with their backs to her were Natsumi and Hiroki.

Asuka frowned, "How did you know it was me?"

Natsumi replied, "Easy. I've memorized what everyone's footsteps sound like."

 _You what?!_

Hiroki snorted, "She saw your reflection on the stove."

Natsumi pouted, "Aww, don't ruin my fun!"

"I'm cooking for you!" Hiroki retorted, "I can ruin whatever I want!"

"Well, preferably don't ruin the fish," Natsumi said.

Asuka kept one eye on the pair as she approached the fruit bowl. They seemed to be in functional spirits, but she couldn't help but notice that Natsumi's eyes were glued to the pan on the grill.

 _I suppose we can't be too careful… after Matsumoto…_

Asuka returned back to the bowl of fruit.

 _Focus._

She attempted to pull a banana out of its bunch, but it seemed stuck. A knife block sat next to the bowl, so Asuka grabbed the closest handle and used it to cut through the stems.

With the knife still in her hand, she paused.

...There really was no telling who she could trust. Not after yesterday.

Asuka snuck a glance at Hiroki and Natsumi. The two were idly talking, and not watching her at all.

 _Only… only for self defence._

Slowly and silently, she tucked the knife into the inner lining of her vest.

When neither of the other two reacted, Asuka grabbed the fruit she had come for, and hurried out of the kitchen to meet Okawa, the blade pressing against her rib cage every step of the way.


	13. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (2)

**A/N: Hey! A lot happens this update, so here's an advance warning for some of the touchier subjects!**

 **First, there's a somewhat graphic emetophobia warning close to the end of this update.**

 **Second, there is a warning for the non-graphic discussion of past sexual assault shortly after that.**

 **If either of these topics are too much for you, skip from when Asuka crushes the paper in her pocket, to when she re-enters the restaurant.**

 **Please, stay safe!**

* * *

Masuyo was thankfully still seated in the restaurant when Asuka returned. A stormy expression had fallen over her face.

"Here, pick one," Asuka said, holding out the fruit she'd taken.

Masuyo stared at her for a second, then took the banana without a word.

 _It's something._

Asuka sat down across from her and quietly bit into the apple in her hand. For a long couple of minutes, neither of them spoke.

Then, Masuyo mumbled, "You don't have to stay here."

"I'm just making sure you don't do something stupid," Asuka replied.

"I won't. Not again," Masuyo said, rubbing her neck.

 _I'm trying to be nice to you!_

…

 _Maybe it isn't worth it._

Asuka leaned back in her chair and returned to the apple. Her stomach churned, but it was better than leaving it empty.

She kept an eye on Masuyo as best she could, though the other girl didn't do much besides nibble on the banana.

 _It's so awful seeing her like this…_

"Wasn't expecting to see a pair in here already," a voice broke in from the doorway.

Asuka looked up. Arata was entering the room and approaching the table, his typewriter tucked under one arm. She frowned, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Arata shrugged, "Nothing, really. It's just good to see relationships blossoming. Sometimes love-"

"Not that shit again!" Asuka snapped.

Masuyo shoved herself backwards, tears welling in her eyes. Clutching her neck, she ran out of the restaurant at the speed of light.

Arata winced, "U-Uh-"

Asuka hissed, "Look what you did! She's upset enough as it is!"

"I wasn't trying to…" Arata trailed off.

"Why do you keep insinuating shit about people's personal lives?!" Asuka snapped, "It wasn't amusing _or_ correct the first time you did it either!"

For a split second, Kousuke's disgruntled expression from that moment flickered into her head. Asuka gritted her teeth to avoid tearing up.

Arata tensed, "I… Sorry. It's a habit I picked up f-from my ex."

"Work on fucking putting it down," Asuka said, getting up and pushing past him.

 _I have to find Okawa before she does anything stupid…_

Asuka glanced around the lobby. She could see a few people standing on the second floor balcony, but Masuyo was nowhere in sight. She bit her lip, when the door to the storage room opened.

"Oka-" she began, cutting herself off upon the realization that someone else was walking out.

Saki raised her head at the voice, "Sorry to disappoint you. Is everything okay?"

Asuka crossed her arms, "Okawa ran off a minute ago, and… I don't think it's safe for her to be alone right now."

Saki's expression darkened, "Ah. You're right. I'll help you look for her, if you'd like."

"I would, actually," Asuka said, "I don't have a clue where she went."

"Well, hopefully we can find her soon enough," Saki said quietly, "Come on. We can talk on the way… It might help you calm down."

Asuka frowned, "I am calm."

Saki replied, "You look insanely stressed, Asuka-chan. No offence."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, looking at the stress lines that covered the confidant's face, "Speak for yourself."

"Fair," Saki said softly.

 _I guess I'm spending my time with Yamura._

The two girls headed out of the hotel on unspoken agreement. There weren't a lot of places that Masuyo could have hidden in the first building, but the second island still wasn't clear enough in Asuka's head.

As she squinted against the sunlight, Saki asked, "Have you given any thought about who put us all in this situation?"

Asuka shrugged, "Not exactly? It hasn't exactly come to mind, but… I guess they'd have to be powerful."

"I've been wondering if it's someone among us," Saki responded quietly.

Asuka turned to look at her, "I thought this conversation was supposed to _destress_ us."

 _I'd never even considered that someone here would…_

"Sorry," Saki said, "But the possibility is there. And I really want to trust everyone! But…"

Asuka took her first step onto the bridge, "I guess? I don't know how the hell you want me to respond to that, though. I don't want to think about someone here masterminding this sick shitshow."

Saki followed her onto the unsteady, swaying wood, "That's understandable. I'm really sorry… Let's change the topic."

 _Finally._

"I know your talent is a touchy subject…" Saki began.

Asuka frowned, "Only if you make it one. I like talking about my work."

 _Not a lot else makes me happy anymore._

Saki cleared her throat, "R-Right. What do you like so much about tattoo art? Yumiko thinks the concept is interesting, but I'm not sure I see the appeal."

Asuka carefully gripped the rope as she inched forwards along the bridge, "There's something insanely gorgeous about permanent art. There's a lot of trust involved… trust to make sure you don't look like shit forever."

"I see…" Saki said quietly, "Is… Is it dangerous?"

"Not really?" Asuka replied, "All I ever worry about is what'll do if the client or I accidentally gets pricked."

 _...And paying that fucking debt._

Saki sounded confused, "Pricked?"

Asuka reached the bank on the other side and turned to face her, "I do irezumi, the traditional style. You need a needle and thread, plus special ink. And it's all done by hand."

Saki winced, "That sounds painful."

"It is," Asuka confirmed, rubbing her arm, "And it takes _forever._ But I think it's worth it, in the end."

Saki shifted uncomfortably, "Y-Yeah. I think that makes sense."

Asuka frowned, "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Saki said quickly, "I'm just worried. A-About Masuyo-chan."

Asuka crossed her arms.

 _Does… Does she know?_

…

 _...Shit._

"Let's go inside! I'm sure we'll find her soon," Saki said, forcing a bright smile onto her face.

Asuka clenched her fists tight as she followed the brown haired girl inside. Saki didn't seem to want to make eye contact as they headed down the hallway.

"Your turn," Asuka said suddenly, "The hell's the deal with _your_ talent, anyways? Do you just keep secrets?"

Saki said, "At the end of the line, yes. But I do a lot else. I used to run an advice column, and met with a lot of people to help them out."

Asuka frowned, "And people just tell you shit? You don't pressure them?"

"Why would I do that?" Saki asked, "I just want to relieve small burdens. It's a little lonely, having all these secrets but… someone has to do it."

Asuka pushed open the door to the concert hall, "Huh. I don't really get it, but you do you."

"I don't 'get' what you do either," Saki responded, following her in, "So we're even."

Asuka snorted, "Fair."

The concert hall seemed to be empty as well. Asuka frowned and turned back around, then paused, staring upwards.

"There's someone in the light booth."

Saki gasped, "You think it's her?"

"I'm going to go see," Asuka responded.

Saki nodded, "Okay. And I'll keep looking around, just in case we're wrong."

Asuka blinked, "Thanks, Yamura. I… really appreciate it."

Saki beamed, "Well, what are friends for?"

"We're friends?" Asuka blurted.

Saki said, "I mean… I'd like to believe that we are?"

Asuka rubbed her shoulder, "It's just… I kind of had the impression that you didn't really like me."

Saki's expression faltered, and the light of her smile no longer reached her eyes, "Oh. Well, I do! I swear. I'll go now. Bye, Asuka-chan."

"Bye?" Asuka waved as the other girl hurried out of the room.

 _I… think I grew closer to Yamura today. Against all odds…_

Asuka awkwardly shifted in place for a moment, her skin prickling. Then, she made her way to the door that lead up to the booth.

She peered carefully into the tiny room, slightly hopeful, then frowned softly, "Oh."

Hiroki turned his attention away from the control panel, "Hi to you too."

"I thought you might be Okawa. You see her?" Asuka replied, leaning against the doorframe.

Hiroki shook his head, "Not since early this morning. She probably just needs to be alone, y'know?"

Asuka said, "I just don't know if that's… safe."

Hiroki shrugged, "She's stronger than she looks, even now. Don't kill yourself trying to help her… or anyone, honestly."

"I have no plans to," Asuka replied quietly, her skin twitching.

 _Well now that I feel weird… might as well hang around with Ayugai._

"What are you doing, anyway?" Asuka asked, gesturing to the light controls, "I didn't take you for a person into… this."

Hiroki grinned, "I'm not! But I am into causing problems. So I might as well mess around."

Asuka blinked, "That's… forward?"

He shrugged, "Nobody's ever taken me seriously, so why give them a reason to? Well, my dad did, but…"

Asuka raised a brow at the sudden quiet tone, "He not around anymore?"

"Yeah. Died when I was real small," Hiroki muttered, "It's _fine_ and my grandparents take good care of me, but they've only ever seen me as a troublemaker."

"So you're just fulfilling expectations?" Asuka asked.

Hiroki said, "I mean, I'm pretty happy with it. Means if I actually do something cool, people care! And I'm a pretty cool person, so it works out."

"Yeah, cool. Definitely," Asuka said, "Your, uh… fans see you like that?"

Hiroki's face lit up, "Oh, absolutely! I'm fresh, young, and sexy. A teenage heartthrob! I'll always have that over my rivals."

 _...Okay. He changed his tune quickly._

…

 _Wonder what he's thinking._

"Oh and hey," Hiroki said, "I'm only _supposed_ to give out autographs on weekends, but since I don't have a clue what day it is, you can get one from me any time!"

Asuka blinked, "Thanks?"

He grinned, "You're pretty cool yourself, Ishikawa. Not a lot of people get that honour, so use it well!"

Asuka managed a smile herself, "I will. Not now, though. When I have paper."

 _What the hell would I even do with an autograph?_

Hiroki gave her a thumbs up, before looking back out the light booth window. Asuka took that as her cue to slip back down the stairs.

 _I don't understand it… but I grew a bit closer to Ayugai today._

Once she was out of the concert hall itself, Asuka paused and leaned against the wall.

 _If I'm not going to keep looking for Okawa… I should at least check that suspicious shit I saw earlier._

 _What the hell are all those files in the library?_

Asuka took a careful breath and made her way to the double doors. Maybe actually digging through the off putting files in the archive room could give her some answers?

Shun was sitting at one of the tables inside when she entered, reading a book. Asuka bit her lip, beginning to tiptoe around him, when he looked up.

 _Shit._

"Hi, Ishikawa-san," he said, smiling, "Are you busy at the moment?"

"Uh," Asuka responded, frozen in mid step, "No?"

Shun clasped his hands, "I wanted to ask you if you'd be interested in joining a book club! Yamura-san and I were discussing it earlier."

"How many people are in it?" Asuka asked.

Shun tugged on the drawstring of his hoodie, "Well, if you join, then counting myself… Three."

 _...Oh._

"B-But! Chiba-san and Tsutaya-san said they both probably would," Shun quickly amended.

Asuka shrugged, "I can, if you want."

 _I can at least stand all of them… Maybe this isn't so bad?_

Shun beamed, "Great! I asked Ikeda-san too, but he hasn't given me a concrete answer yet."

 _Fuck no!_

Asuka bit her lip, "Ah. Are we… reading anything in particular yet?"

"No, we'll vote when we can," Shun said, "For now, do you want to pick out something to read? It… might be nice to talk to you."

 _Guess I'm not getting near those files anytime soon._

 _...But spending time with Asari won't be so bad._

"Cool," Asuka said, "I'll be right back."

With that, she ventured into the shelves. Admittedly, she didn't have a clue what she was looking for.

 _I never have time to read at home…_

She paused at a shelf near the back, peering through the cracks. Someone was moving around on the other side.

With one hand on a heavy book, Asuka looked through the gaps and frowned.

It was actually two someones - Saki and Yumiko. They were speaking so quietly that despite her close proximity to them, Asuka couldn't make out more than a couple words from the conversation.

Though, Asuka supposed that not much needed to be inferred from Yumiko cupping Saki's face and leaning down ever so slightly to kiss her.

Realizing what she was spying on, Asuka grabbed the book she had her hand on and walked as fast as she could back to Shun, her face burning.

Though, she supposed it explained so much of what she'd already witnessed.

Shun blinked when she sat back down, "You weren't gone for very long."

"I knew what I was looking for," Asuka lied, "It wasn't hard."

Shun frowned, "You were looking for an introduction to finance and accounting?"

Asuka looked down at the book she'd grabbed for the first time. Sure enough, it was a thick and heavy textbook.

 _...Oh._

"It'll have, uh, helpful real world applications," Asuka said, "So I could… get a job. When we finally get out of this fucking place."

Shun stared at her for a moment, then said, "Oh, that makes sense! That's really smart of you!"

Asuka blinked.

 _I… cannot believe he bought that._

 _Kid's even more gullible than he looks._

Asuka forced a smile as she opened the textbook. She read silently with Shun, though Asuka caught herself rereading the same sentence over and over again.

The book was boring as all hell. Asuka wondered if her brain was going to melt.

To her relief, Shun suddenly said, "Oh, I actually wanted to tell you something. If that's okay."

Asuka looked up, "Sure? Hit me."

"I don't think I properly apologized to you yet," Shun said, "For forgetting about your allergies, I mean. That could have been devastating."

Asuka shrugged, "I'm not mad at you. But thanks. I appreciate it."

Shun nervously rubbed his neck, "Still, I feel bad. I… have bad memory issues, but they're not an excuse."

Asuka said, "You don't have to justify yourself, it's fine. My memory isn't so grand either."

"I don't remember much past a few years ago," Shun mumbled, "It's all… blocked out."

Asuka frowned, "Huh. I… don't know anything about that, honestly."

Shun said, "I d-didn't expect you to. I'm just… rambling. I can't do that very often so it builds up. Sorry."

"I don't mind," Asuka responded, "Anything's better than this book, anyways."

Shun chuckled weakly, "Is it that grueling?"

Asuka pushed it away, "Insanely. I should've gone for literally anything else."

"Well, when we work out meeting times, we can read fun books," Shun said, "Or complain about bad ones. I'm open to both."

Asuka laughed quietly.

 _I think I grew closer to Asari today._

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Academy's Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

Asuka's expression sank into a scowl, "Damn it. I'm going back before it gets late. You coming or not?"

Shun shook his head, "I'll just be a bit longer. Good night, Ishikawa-san."

"Night," Asuka said, getting up from her chair.

It wasn't too long of a trip back to the hotel, though the sudden cold air outside made her shiver. Asuka squinted her way through the pitch black lobby, until she finally found the stairs.

When she arrived at her room, Asuka didn't waste much time before collapsing on top of her quilt.

The nightmares, as she was about to learn, would sink in quickly.

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"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Asuka's eyes flickered open, the sound of Hikari's final scream slowly fading as the world focused.

She rolled over, groaning softly, until she came to face the table and frowned. Next to the broken clipboard and bloodstained sun hat was a key.

"The hell is this?" she grumbled, sitting up to look at it.

"Ah! So you've found your present!"

Asuka nearly jumped out of her skin, looking furiously around the room. Monokuma stood at the end of her bed, grinning as usual.

"The _fuck_ do you want?!" Asuka yelled.

Monokuma pouted, "There's no need to take that tone with me! Kids these days…"

Asuka hissed, "Tell me why you're in my fucking room."

Monokuma said, "Well, I've been a bad headmaster. I forgot to pass out room keys on our first day. But now that I've had each key professionally cut, your rooms can stay locked when you're not home!"

Asuka frowned. Admittedly, it was helpful, though she hadn't expected anyone to break into her room. She didn't have anything worth stealing.

 _Actually, that explains how Uchiyama managed to steal that book from Kanagaki._

…

 _Maybe it's good that I can lock up._

"Think of it as a reward for surviving this long," Monokuma purred, "Not that you deserve it."

Asuka clenched her fists, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Monokuma shrugged, "You tell me, pixie cut."

With that, he hopped off the bed and disappeared.

 _Bitch._

Asuka took the key.

It took two tries to lock her door. Still shaking sleep from her head, Asuka slowly made her way down the stairs to the restaurant.

The room was at least half full by the time she arrived. Asuka sat down next to Kazue like the day before.

"Did you get one of those keys too?" Asuka asked her quietly.

Kazue nodded, "Yes. A reward for surviving, as that damn bear put it."

Asuka rubbed her brow, "Not that we deserve it."

"Mm," Kazue murmured.

Asuka snuck a glance at her out of the corner of her eye. The other girl seemed almost sick.

 _I hope she's alright…_

Before she could ask, however, Saki cleared her throat to call for attention. Asuka turned her attention to the centre of the room.

"Just a small announcement this morning!" Saki said, her usual chirp slightly diluted, "Take it away, Shun-chan."

Shun seemed alarmed by how quickly everyone's gaze landed on him, but he quickly composed himself, "A-Ah, well… Yamura-san and I discussed starting a book club. Nothing official yet, but w-we wanted to see if there was any interest. Don't feel pressured to decide!"

"Books are for losers," Hiroki responded, leaning on one of the tables.

Shun said, "I'm... sorry you feel that way."

Saki said, "No rush, anyway! We just want everyone to be on the same page. That's all, unless anyone else would like to add anything!"

The speakers crackled.

 _Oh no._

"Attention, attention! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! Would all students please report to the lobby? Attendance is mandatory… if you have a pulse!"

Saki said softly, "That invitation was not open to you."

Hachirou got to his feet, "I see no point in waiting. I'm certain that _schepsel_ will have some punishment for us, should we not attend."

 _Gh. He's right._

 _...Still, the last time something like this happened…_

 _It ended with Kotara dying._

…

Asuka slowly trudged out of the restaurant, assimilating with the crowd in the lobby. Monokuma stood on top of the podium, leaning against what looked to be a large ticket machine with a crank on the side.

"What the fuck is that?" Itsuki demanded.

Monokuma laughed, "Now, now! Patience is a virtue!"

Natsumi said, "Is this another one of your… motives?"

The bear clapped, "Glad someone's doing her homework! Yes, I've noticed a distinct lack of bloodshed around these parts, so I'd like to speed it up!"

"Nobody else will die," Saki said firmly, "Whatever you're doing won't work."

Kenta nodded, "We can't let Kotara-kun and Matsumoto-kun's sacrifices be for nothing!"

"You kids sound so sure of yourselves now," Monokuma yawned, "Just wait until I roll this out, okay?"

Ayano shivered, "What… what is…"

Monokuma said, "I'm here to present the most heart racing motive some of you will ever see! Did learning about your collective amnesia get your blood pumping? This'll make it burst from your veins!"

"That's not a very nice image," Arata mumbled.

Monokuma continued, "Each and every one of you is hiding something deep inside yourselves. A secret, if you will. I've gathered up all this information, and I'm ready to present it to you!"

Asuka blinked, "You… you know our secrets?"

 _He… He can't..._

"I know everything about you bastards," Monokuma responded, "But if you don't believe me, we'll be putting it to the test now. Does everyone have the keys I passed out this morning?"

Hachirou said, " _Si,_ but what do they have to do with-"

Monokuma replied, "Excellent! They aren't just for your rooms… You'll be using them on this machine to ensure everyone gets to look at their own secret."

Yumiko crossed her arms, "But what do you plan on _doing_ with all this?"

"If there isn't a murder in the next forty-eight hours," Monokuma said, "All your secrets will be read publically. _Everyone_ will know your dirty histories."

A lump formed in Asuka's throat.

 _Forty-eight hours to…_

Monokuma said, "Well, step right up!"

Nobody moved.

He growled, "If we don't have any volunteers… Silent Night! Your surname is first alphabetically, so get over here."

Someone pushed Shun out of the crowd, right towards the ticket machine. He was shaking from head to toe.

"Come on, put your key in!" Monokuma said, "Don't make me do everything myself!"

Shun stuck the key into a small slot, then nervously looked towards Monokuma.

Monokuma hit the ticket machine, "Then crank it! You kids really think I'm going to coddle you, huh?"

Shun flinched, but turned the crank on the side of the machine. Asuka winced as an ear splitting creak filled the room.

Finally, a small slip of paper came out of the ticket slot. Shun took it and shifted away from the group.

Monokuma grinned, "Now… who's next?"

Asuka fell into an awkward, makeshift line. Every time another person cranked the machine, she felt her heart lurch.

Finally, she was at the front of the line. Asuka produced the key and shoved it into the small slot. Then, without looking at Monokuma, she cranked the handle.

 _He can't really know. It's not possible._

A paper with the hiragana for her name hastily scrawled on slid out of the machine. Asuka tore it off and hurried out of the way, standing close to the front door.

Once she was certain that nobody was looking at her, Asuka read the slip.

 _Asuka Ishikawa has ties to the local Yakuza through her father's tattoo parlour._

Asuka stared blankly at the words, biting down on her lip hard enough to break the skin.

 _All those years… I spent hiding that…_

…

 _It was all for fucking nothing._

 _...I'm really nothing but criminal scum after all, huh._

"And that's everyone!" Monokuma said suddenly, "Now remember, forty-eight hours to kill, or the entire world finds out! Oh, and one other thing…"

"What now?!" Itsuki snapped.

Monokuma laughed, "Do your headmaster a favour and don't try to hide your murder weapon, like Chrysanthemum did! It makes keeping the records together easier."

 _The hell is he…_

Natsumi frowned, "Why should we do anything for you?"

Monokuma replied, "Well… that's my secret! Upupupu!"

With that, he jumped behind the podium and presumably vanished.

Saki quickly waved her hands, "We shouldn't look at these secret slips. If we don't know what Monokuma has on us, there's no reason for any murder."

Uncomfortable silence filled the room. It seemed everyone had already done so.

Saki deflated slightly, "Ah. Well, in that case… I'm here for all of you, as your leader, and as being a confidant dictates. If you want to talk, or need emotional support… I always have time for you."

Asuka's arm brushed the knife hidden in her vest.

"For now, why don't we go back and eat?" Saki continued, "And we can work all this out. I swear."

Asuka crushed the secret paper in her pocket.

 _I don't want anyone else to die… but I can't let anyone know this. I… I've kept it hidden for so long._

She awkwardly began to follow the crowd back into the restaurant, when someone behind her let out a strangled noise.

Asuka turned to see Kazue, who was shaking like mad. The tall girl let out another sound, then violently threw up on the floor.

"She's been poisoned!" Masuyo screamed.

Kazue swayed, then collapsed.

 _No… No!_

"Kanagaki-san!" Minoru shouted, pushing his way through the crowd, and kneeling next to her, "D-Don't just stand there!"

Asuka rushed forwards and fell to her knees next to Kazue, shaking her.

Over the noise that had broken out, Saki called, "Everyone, please wait in the restaurant! The… three of us will handle everything."

"I've got her pulse," Minoru said, holding Kazue's wrist, "It's steady."

Asuka squeezed her shoulder. Kazue's eyes flickered open.

Saki said, "Kazue-chan, can you hear us? Are you there?"

Kazue let out a small squeak, then slowly raised herself off the ground. She was still quivering, and Asuka and Minoru had to hold her steady to keep her sitting up.

"What happened?" Asuka asked.

Kazue opened her mouth, then burst into tears. Vomit dribbled down her chin as she tried to speak, sobs coursing through her body.

"Shhh…" Minoru spoke delicately, rubbing her back in a rhythmic motion, "You don't have to say anything. I just want you to breathe. In and out, nice and slow. Okay?"

Kazue nodded, then pressed a hand to her throat as she threw up again, spluttering and wheezing.

 _Holy hell…_

Minoru said, "That's fine, let it all out. Keep breathing, okay? Don't rush yourself."

Kazue nodded again, and within a minute, her breathing eased. She still looked incredibly sickly, though, as if a gust of wind could carry her away.

"Can you stand?" Minoru asked.

Kazue shrugged but attempted to get up, eventually meekly getting to her feet with Asuka and Minoru supporting her.

Minoru wrapped his arm around her and carefully began leading her towards the bathrooms, "Let's go clean you up."

Asuka watched them leave, her heart rising into her throat.

Saki said quietly, "There's some mops in the storage room. We should clean this up."

Asuka frowned but followed her into the storage room without question. The dark haired girl quickly passed her a mop, not saying anything.

 _She's taking all this really hard…_

Asuka wheeled the bucket of soapy water back into the lobby, then began mopping up the vomit as best she could. Saki joined her a moment later, keeping her eyes on the floor.

After a minute though, Asuka realized that Saki was doing everything in her power not to cry.

"Hey. This isn't your fault," Asuka said, pausing briefly, "Stop fucking kicking yourself."

Saki looked up, trembling, "But… I'm supposed to keep everyone safe. I couldn't do _anything_ to help Kazue-chan… while _he_ …"

Asuka leaned on her mop, "Why do you hate Fujita so much?"

Saki's fists closed tightly, "I… It's petty. But I can't shake it."

"What happened in the lobby wasn't his fault," Asuka responded.

"I know that!" Saki snapped, then tensed her shoulders, "I know it wasn't."

Asuka frowned, "Then why…"

Saki shivered and clung to her mop, "When I came down to the lobby… I didn't see Masuyo-chan breaking down. I saw myself."

Asuka inhaled sharply as the pieces fell into place, "Oh god…"

Saki whispered, "I was thirteen. It… it was Christmas…"

"You don't have to tell me," Asuka said quietly, "Don't hurt yourself for my sake."

Saki held up her hand, "I have to. My… My uncle. He didn't take t-the news that I was a lesbian v-very well."

Asuka said, "Yamura… Hey, it's-"

Saki kept talking, "He d-decided that he was… was going to _fix_ me. So… so he…"

Asuka took a step towards her. Saki stared at her for a moment, then burst into tears and threw her arms around Asuka's neck, wailing as she clutched her tight.

"You're safe," Asuka whispered, "It's just me."

Saki quickly let go, wiping her face on her sleeve, "I'm s-sorry. That was really inappropriate of me to-"

Asuka said, "It's okay. Do you need anything?"

She shook her head, "I'll be fine. But… now you know why. I _know_ I shouldn't hate Fujita. But I keep seeing…"

Asuka picked up her mop, which had fallen, "I get it. Look, you should go wash up. I'll finish here."

"No, I'll do it," Saki said, "You tell everyone else that everything's under control. They're probably scared."

Asuka frowned, "Are you sure?"

"I am. Go," Saki said more firmly.

 _If you insist…_

…

 _I feel so bad._

Asuka placed her mop down in the soapy bucket, and turned her back, re-entering the restaurant.

Once she was inside, all eyes quickly fell on her.

"Things are… under control," Asuka said, "Yamura's just cleaning a couple things up."

Itsuki called out, "Is Kanagaki okay?"

"She's breathing," Asuka replied grimly.

Yumiko said, "That's really all we can ask for."

 _No kidding… What the fuck_ was _that?_

Behind her, the doors opened. Asuka turned to see Minoru slipping back in, adjusting his tie nervously.

"Hey," she said quietly, "What's the deal? Is Kanagaki…"

Minoru responded, "She just wanted a moment to wash her face. She isn't hurt… at least, not physically."

Asuka rubbed her brow, "Well, that's something. Thanks for helping out back there."

Minoru looked away, "Incidents like that used to happen a lot back in the hospital. I'm used to dealing with them."

 _Hospital?_

Asuka tilted her head slightly, but the look on his face told her not to ask.

Just then, the doors opened again. Kazue stepped through, still shaking slightly. Her eyes looked haunted.

"I'd like to apologize for… making a scene," Kazue said carefully, her voice creaking, "I must have alarmed you all."

Arata said, "I mean, a bit, but that doesn't really matter."

"Are you sick or something?" Kenta asked.

Kazue replied, "Not exactly. I haven't… been taking care of myself properly, since we arrived here. And with all of this… fear and violence and loss… I overflowed."

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes, tears slicking down her cheeks.

Ayano squeaked, "Are… need…"

"I'm sorry," Kazue whispered, "All of you. I can't apologize enough for this."

Asuka said, "Look, it wasn't your fault. We're just glad that you're okay."

 _Or as okay as you possibly can be._

 _...What kind of nightmare is this?_

Kazue didn't reply.

Hiroki waved his arms, "Hey! Hey, hey! We're all riled up now, yeah, but it's best that we eat! None of you are starving on my watch."

Asuka blinked. She'd forgotten that she hadn't eaten yet.

"You all stay put," Shun added, "Give us a few minutes to prepare something."

Ayano nodded along.

Asuka went to sit down again, but cast one last glance over her shoulder. At some point during Kazue's apology, Saki had snuck inside.

Her eyes were bloodshot. Asuka looked away.

 _Forty-eight hours._

…

 _I hope we all make it that long._


	14. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (3)

AN: Today, June 19th, is Hiroki's birthday!

* * *

It's funny how quickly everything comes crashing down.

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Nobody stuck around in the restaurant for very long, Asuka included. With the newfound weight on all their shoulders, she couldn't blame them.

The lone slip of paper in her pocket was heavier than the knife pressing against her ribs. With each step, her heart sank further into her chest.

 _How the hell did Monokuma find this out?_

Asuka reached her room and slipped inside, closing and locking the door behind her. She leaned against the door for a moment and rubbed her eyes.

"Would… Would I kill to hide this?" she whispered to the empty room.

Admittedly, she was no longer sure. Asuka clenched her fists and threw her head back, wincing as she banged against the door.

Tears welled in her eyes, and not just from the sudden, searing ache in her skull.

 _Nobody would hesitate to kill me if this got out…_

 _...If they don't already know._

Asuka pushed away from the door and knelt down next to her bed, pulling the duffel bag with her things close to her.

Her sketchbook was at the top. She carefully opened and and turned the pages, examining each sketch.

A roaring dragon in mid flight. That had been for the head Yakuza's son, for his birthday.

A pattern of scales that took up two whole pages. For a hit man, all across his shoulders.

An intricate rose garden. For the head's daughter.

Asuka continued absently flipping through, bile building up in her throat. The only sketches that hadn't ended up being Yakuza tattoos were the two most recent ones; a singular vine surrounded by a multitude of butterflies, and a lone amaryllis.

Hikari's words about the flower echoed in her mind. Asuka closed her sketchbook as she felt a burning in her eyes again.

 _I still… I still can't believe they're both…_

 _...Only two days?_

She got to her feet, pinching herself and biting her lip as she did.

 _I can't stay here all day. I have to do something… anything… or I'm going to lose my fucking mind._

With her sketchbook in hand, Asuka left her room again. She idly drifted down the stairs, holding the book close to her chest.

For a moment, she paid a glance to the closed garden door, but quickly turned her head away.

 _I don't know if I can ever go back there._

Walking through the lobby was difficult enough, as she still carefully swerved around the tiles where Kousuke had been lying only two days prior.

By the time Asuka had made it outside, a pit of nausea had formed in her stomach. Suddenly, she was glad that she hadn't eaten since the morning before.

Sunlight beat down against her. Asuka pursed her lips as she stumbled down the hill, absently heading for the bridge. It had to be summertime, with the consistent heat, but she didn't really have any way to confirm that.

Except maybe ask Monokuma.

 _...I'd rather die._

…

 _...But it really does make me wonder how much time passed between when I got to Hope's Peak and here. We're missing three years… aren't we?_

Those thoughts kept her occupied as she crossed the rope bridge, clinging to the supports. By the time she reached the other side, Asuka had made a decision.

 _I have to look at those damn files today._

Unfortunately, the second she opened the door, those plans changed.

"Shut the fuck up, before I _make_ you."

"Quite frankly, I would love to see you try."

Hachirou and Itsuki were blocking the library doors, the latter looking scarily close to punching the former in the face. Kenta stood a little ways away, though on a second glance, Asuka realized he was resting a hand on Itsuki's shoulder.

"It would only end in humiliation, however," Hachirou continued icily, "considering your lack of… status."

Kenta said, "Okay, stop, this is-"

Itsuki pointed a finger at the linguist, " _You_ have no right to say that to me-"

"Excuse me?!" Hachirou said, "What is that supposed to mean, wretch?"

"Both of you are taking this too far!" Kenta raised his voice, stepping in between them.

Hachirou said, "This isn't your fight, fool."

Itsuki hissed, "Oh, now you've fucking done it! You uptight freak, I swear I'll-"

"Yamasaki-kun, _no!"_

Asuka ducked to the right and hurried down the other hallway as fast as she could.

 _I… am not getting into that._

The hard, painful sound of collision that pierced the air in the next moment made her reconsider, but it wasn't enough to make her turn around. Instead, she continued through the dark halls, finally coming to a halt in front of the gift shop.

It was far from the most ideal place to wait for the library to be free, considering she couldn't even see it (though she could certainly still hear the altercation), but there weren't a lot of options on that island.

The Monokuma themed merchandise mocked her as she weaved through the shelves. Asuka glanced at the case holding the switchblades at the back of the room, but it seemed to be untouched.

To the right was the small table Asuka had noticed on her first visit to the garish room. Ayano was sitting in one of the chairs, bent over and focused on an open colouring book.

Asuka slid down into the chair across from her, "Hi, Chiba. Mind if I sit here?"

Ayano looked up, her eyes wide, "Eek! A-Ah, hi! Yes, er, no, um… Sit!"

 _Guess I'm spending time with Chiba until further notice._

"Thanks," Asuka said, placing her sketchbook on the table and opening to a blank page.

Ayano ducked her head again, mumbling something even more incomprehensible than usual. Asuka kept one eye on her as she absently sketched. The small girl stuck her tongue out ever so slightly as she worked, deftly colouring within the lines.

"That looks really nice," Asuka said, tilting her head to get a better look at the picture, "Is that an owl?"

Ayano nodded, "Mmhm… v-very childish, but… is calm."

Asuka said, "I wouldn't say that. They make colouring books for adults, you know."

Ayano blinked, "Really?"

"Yeah, they're cool. And besides, who cares what you like, long as you're having fun?" Asuka responded.

Ayano stroked a loose strand of hair, "Ah… Ishikawa-san, r-right of.. Of course. Er…"

Asuka waited. Ayano looked at her hands a few times, before biting her lip and trying to talk again.

"You okay?" Asuka prompted, when a full minute passed.

Ayano shrugged and grabbed a new crayon, looking through her colouring book for an empty space.

Asuka asked, "Do you need some paper?"

Ayano nodded, so Asuka turned to a blank page and ripped out the paper, handing it to her. Ayano gripped the crayon tight as she wrote down a few words, then passed it back.

Scrawled in loopy cursive were two words.

 _developmental disorder_

"Born early. Big compli… b-big problem. Try very hard, but…" Ayano mumbled, tapping her temple, "Words hard. Brain bad."

Asuka spoke carefully, "I see. The fact that you're trying matters a lot.. It isn't hard to understand what you're saying, though."

 _...Most of the time._

Ayano's jaw dropped and tears welled in her eyes, "R-Really?"

Asuka nodded, "Yeah. You just have to listen. You're doing good, Chiba."

A few tears rolled down her cheek, "T-Thank you…"

 _I definitely grew closer to Chiba today._

The two didn't continue their conversation after, but there wasn't a need to. Ayano continued to colour her owl, while Asuka absently sketched a series of falling feathers.

A few times, Asuka's mind pictured inking the sketch onto Yakuza shoulder blades, but she managed to shake the thoughts away.

It wasn't until the overhead speakers crackled that she even remembered the library.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Academy's Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

"Shit," Asuka muttered, closing her sketchbook.

 _Guess I'm waiting until tomorrow._

 _...Assuming that nobody…_

Ayano squeaked, "Ah… Walk back with?"

Asuka looked over at her, "Sure, if you want."

Ayano smiled weakly, "T-Thank you. Afraid of… of dark."

Asuka winced, "Oh, yikes. Yeah, you can stick to me, just keep up."

Ayano nodded and quickly scurried to her feet.

As it turned out, Ayano could keep a faster pace of the two, and Asuka found herself straining to match her stride.

 _I guess it makes sense, since she's athletic… Even if she really doesn't really look like it._

They made it through to the lobby, Ayano clinging to her arm the entire time. She didn't let go until they were safely up the stairs in the room hallway.

"G-Good night," Ayano said softly, fishing her room key out of her hair.

Asuka resisted the urge to chuckle and merely smiled, "You too."

Once the surfer was in her room, Asuka entered her own. For a moment, she stared at the walls, feeling almost a bitter sort of familiarity.

 _I'm going to get home. I have to._

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Three sharp raps on the door awoke Asuka from uneasy sleep. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, throwing herself out of bed and opening the door.

Arata stood on the other side, his fist still raised.

"What the hell do you want?" Asuka asked, trying not to yawn, "Is it even seven yet?"

Arata shook his head, "Not quite-"

"Then why are you waking me up?" Asuka questioned.

Arata said, "Yamura-san wants everyone to be awake and meet in the restaurant immediately at the announcement. Apparently it's really important, and since I was awake already… I'm on door duty."

Asuka pinched the bridge of her nose, "Ugh… What the fuck could be so important? She didn't say, did she?"

"Not a word," Arata replied, "And I'm really not in the mood to try and hazard a guess."

Asuka nodded, "Fair. Give me a minute, I'll come down."

Arata gave her a small salute, "Aye aye. Don't fall back asleep."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Asuka muttered. Though, the bed did look particularly warm and inviting, for once.

She scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head. With a slow gait, she entered the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.

For a moment, she stared at her hollow, sickly reflection, before throwing up bile into the sink. Asuka rubbed her forehead and sighed, then turned on the tap again to wash it down the drain and clean her mouth.

"Get it together, dipshit," she growled at the mirror, before leaving her room and heading down the stairs to the restaurant.

A moderate crowd had formed outside, but nobody besides Natsumi - who was smiling like all was right in the world - looked particularly pleased.

"What's happening?" Asuka hissed to Kazue, who stood the closest to her.

Kazue replied tensely, "Yamura won't say."

 _The hell…_

In that moment, Saki and Arata approached, Yumiko and Itsuki at their heels. The blonde was practically draped over Saki's shoulder, while Itsuki looked like he was _that_ close to screaming.

A black eye shone brightly on his face. Asuka looked away quickly, the phantom echo of the previous day's fight replaying in her head.

"Good morning, everyone!" Saki said, "I'm sorry to wake you all so early. I just wanted everyone to be here this morning, bright and early."

Hiroki grumbled, "What could be that fucking important?"

Saki said, "You'll find out when the restaurant opens."

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 7am! It's time to rise and shine, vacation waits for no sleepyhead!"

Kazue said quietly, "Speak of the devil."

A clicking noise came from behind the double doors. Minoru pushed on them, and they opened with ease.

Saki took a deep breath, "Let's go inside, quickly."

Asuka sighed and entered the restaurant. Saki gestured for everyone to follow her to the centre table, looking only a little bit apprehensive.

Once everyone had gathered, Saki said, "In twenty-four hours, Monokuma is going to announce our darkest secrets. I propose that instead, we reveal them ourselves, right here, right now."

"That isn't a good idea," Kazue said.

Hachirou cleared his throat, "I have to agree. Were you not the one who said we should not even glance at our secrets?"

Saki said, "Yes, but everyone already did that before I could say anything. And yesterday, a few people talked to me about the motive."

Masuyo blinked, "The hell? Who would do that?"

Asuka glanced around the table to see Shun guiltily stuff his hands into his pocket.

 _So him… and I'd wager that she already knows Tsutaya's…_

Yumiko confirmed her suspicion as she said, "Saki knows what she's doing! I trust her. We should do this."

Minoru said quietly, "I'm willing."

Irritability flashed in Saki's eyes for a split second.

Natsumi chewed on her lip, "I… suppose. But I doubt it will do much good. Won't that only cause more tension?"

Asuka frowned, "What do you mean?"

Natsumi looked her in the eye, "What if some of our secrets are dangerous?"

 _...Fuck._

Arata nodded, looking as if he was going to pass out. Ayano seemed to share the sentiment, as she kept her eyes glued to the floor.

Saki said, "I just want us to be able to trust each other. Look, I'll even go first. When I was in middle school-"

"I knocked out Ayugai-kun's tooth."

Dead silence filled the room, as thirteen pairs of eyes landed on Kenta.

Hiroki spat, "You fucking _what?!"_

"I- I'm sorry-"

"You're _sorry?_ You ruined my fucking life!" Hiroki shouted, preparing to lunge across the table.

Arata grabbed him and pulled him back down, "Hey, don't do anything-"

Hiroki writhed against him, "Let me go! That rat bitch destroyed everything!"

"I'm sorry," Kenta repeated breathlessly, looking as if he was about to cry.

Hiroki slammed his hands on the table, "My grandfather _threw out his back_ trying to make enough money for my goddamn dental bills! Now he's in the fucking hospital, and my grandmother can't do _shit!"_

Kenta didn't have a response.

"So fuck you, fuck your stupid entitled ass for deciding to beat the everloving shit out of me!" Hiroki screamed, "I was twelve you filthy son of a bitch!"

Kenta opened his mouth, but was cut off again.

"If you even _think_ of telling me that you're sorry, I'll break your fucking neck," Hiroki threatened, "You know what? Fuck this! Fuck this whole thing. I'm out of here."

With that, he angrily fled the restaurant.

 _...Holy shit._

Arata nervously looked at everyone, then said, "I'll… go make sure he's okay. Wait up!"

Kenta rubbed his face, tears running down it, "I fucked up."

Itsuki placed a hand on his arm silently.

Asuka swallowed and looked around the room. Everyone who remained looked uncomfortable. At some point during the commotion, Natsumi, Kazue, Hachirou, and Masuyo had disappeared.

Saki said softly, "That… could have gone better."

Yumiko said, "It wasn't your fault. We can still do this thing!"

Saki shook her head, "There isn't a point in doing it without everyone's cooperation."

Ayano scuffed the floor with her sandal, "So… what do…"

"Kenta-chan, get yourself cleaned up," Saki said. To Itsuki, she added, "Make sure he's okay."

Itsuki nodded and led Kenta out of the restaurant.

Saki said, "To the rest of you… Go out and do something fun. I'll figure something out. I just need more time."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" Shun asked.

Minoru added, "I don't mind helping-"

Saki cut him off, "You both heard me. I just have to… keep thinking."

A few people exchanged glances, but eventually filed out of the room. Yumiko lingered for a moment at Saki's side, but she too left the restaurant.

Asuka took a few steps towards Saki, who was holding her head in her hands, "Hey. Don't beat yourself up for this."

"When I told everyone to go, I meant you too," Saki replied.

Asuka crossed her arms, "Well, I wanted to talk to you. Yamura, you don't have to do… all of this. One person can't fix everything."

Saki said, "I have to at least try. I can't just be useless and idle. ...Kousuke-chan would've been able to fix things."

"That isn't fair to you _or_ him," Asuka said sternly.

 _Or me, for that matter!_

Saki said, "But… he would know what to do here. Wouldn't he?"

Asuka shrugged, "Who knows? Look, I miss Kotara too, but you can't keep comparing yourself to him. You're just digging yourself a hole. He was planning a murder, remember?"

Saki said, "He wasn't going to go through with it."

"We don't know that," Asuka said quietly, "We barely knew him. Look, Yamura, you've been doing all you can."

Saki hugged her arms to her chest, "I… But I've been _useless."_

"If you were useless, we'd all be in anarchy," Asuka said, "You're not alone now. You know that, right?"

Saki wiped her eyes, "Huh?"

Asuka said, "Well, we're friends, aren't we? I'm not gonna abandon you."

A small smile formed on Saki's face, "Y-Yeah. Yeah! Thank you, Asuka-chan. Sorry for being so emotional these past two days."

"Don't be," Asuka said, "This whole fuck show is driving everyone crazy."

Saki tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "And for saying that I didn't need you. It was mean… and not even slightly true."

 _...Hearing that is nice, actually._

"I appreciate it," Asuka said quietly.

Saki smiled and hugged her quickly, "Of course. And I appreciate everything you said too."

They broke the embrace after a moment. Asuka asked, "Do you want me to hang around?"

Saki shook her head, "I need some time to think, if that's okay. Maybe later?"

"Sure," Asuka said, "I should probably clear my head, anyways."

 _And maybe finally get a look at those damn files…_

Saki smiled, "Great! Feel better soon, Asuka-chan."

"You too," Asuka said with a small smile, before turning around and leaving the restaurant.

Asuka headed for the library immediately, keeping a fast pace despite how strangely sick she felt.

 _Even if there's a fucking fire in front of those doors, I'm getting in there._

To her relief, the hallway was empty when she arrived. Asuka quickly slipped into the library. Natsumi stood a few feet away, perusing one of the shelves, while Hachirou was seated at one of the tables, lost in a book.

 _Please don't see me…_

Asuka crept around them, making it to the small archive room. She opened the door, only to frown.

 _Are you kidding me?!_

Yumiko apparently had the exact same idea as her, because the blonde was sitting on the floor with her nose buried in one of the files.

"Oh, hey," she said, looking up, "What's up, Ishikawa-san?"

Asuka crossed her arms, "I just wanted to look at what's in here, but if you're already-"

Yumiko scooted a bit to the right, "There's room in here for two of us. Are you into true crime?"

Asuka lowered herself onto the knobbly carpet and grabbed a manilla folder, "You could say that."

 _Looks like I'm spending some time with Tsutaya..._

"Hope you're not looking for inspiration," Yumiko said dryly.

"God, no!" Asuka replied, looking up from the factory diagram, "I just want to know why all this shit is here. It's weird that we've been… given it all."

Yumiko grinned, "I was kidding. You don't have a big sense of humour, huh?"

Asuka looked back down, "I'm not in the mood to joke about killing people."

"Fair," Yumiko responded, "Just testing the waters. I don't know you very well, so…"

It was true, Asuka wasn't sure she'd had many - if any at all - one on one conversations with the carpenter since they first met.

"And no offence, but I won't be getting super close to you," Yumiko continued.

Asuka blinked, "Okay?"

 _...She's so blunt about it._

Yumiko shrugged, "We're in a damn murder game. I'd wager that trust is dangerous."

Asuka looked back at the sketches of the battered corpse in the folder she was holding, "I know what you mean. Just wasn't expecting to hear it right to my face."

"Better than lying and tiptoeing around the issue," Yumiko responded, shoving a folder back onto the shelves.

 _I can't tell if that comment is supposed to be directed at me or not._

The medical papers in the folder were starting to give her a headache. Asuka closed it and replaced it, grabbing a more recent file to replace it.

"You look like hell," Yumiko commented suddenly.

Asuka muttered, "I feel like it too."

 _Wish I knew why…_

Yumiko frowned, "When was the last time you ate?"

 _How many people are paying attention to that?!_

"I… don't know," Asuka admitted, "Two days ago?"

"Oh my god," Yumiko muttered, reaching into her breast pocket and pulling out a granola bar, "Here."

Asuka blinked, "Huh?"

Yumiko threw it at her, "Saki's always overworking herself and forgetting to eat, so I carry food with me. Go on, take it."

"Are you sure?" Asuka asked.

Yumiko rolled her eyes, "Yes! Good lord."

"...Thanks," Asuka said, quietly opening the wrapper.

 _Somehow, I feel even worse._

 _...But even though she didn't want it, I think I grew closer to Tsutaya._

The pair of them continued to read on in silence, Asuka's stomach twisting whenever she came across the unfortunately frequent graphic corpse photos.

Despite the hours that passed in that small archive room, Asuka felt herself getting even further from the truth.

 _I don't know what I was expecting…_

Yumiko said suddenly, "I'm getting stir crazy. You have fun with… whatever this shit is. Bye!"

"See you," Asuka said softly, keeping her head down as the blonde left.

She waited for a moment in the small room, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead. She still felt sick, but the prospect of eating made her nauseous.

 _You're fine. You've gone longer than this._

With that thought looping in her head, Asuka got to her feet and left the room, barely paying attention to the occupants of the library.

Standing right outside the door was Kenta. He looked a little better than he had earlier that morning, but the distress in his eyes was evident.

"Uh, hey, Ishikawa-kun," he began slowly, "Can I ask who's in there?"

Asuka blinked a few times, "Uchiyama and Ikeda, I think. And Tsutaya might still be there, I didn't see where she went."

Kenta bit his lip, "Then it isn't safe yet. Thanks."

 _...That reminds me._

"No problem," Asuka said. Then she frowned, "Can I ask you something?"

"I don't want to talk about earlier," Kenta said firmly.

Asuka shook her head, "No, not that. Yesterday… I heard a fight going down over here. What happened?"

Kenta sighed and rubbed his neck, "Well- Okay, _both_ of them said things they shouldn't have, but basically… Ikeda-kun got Yamasaki-kun really riled up. And then punched him in the face."

"He really has a bad habit of doing that," Asuka remarked.

Kenta muttered, "Tell me about it. I… I'm really worried about him. Yamasaki-kun, I mean."

Asuka blinked, "You are?"

"He's really not a bad guy," Kenta said, looking into the distance, "Things are just so intense right now."

Asuka paused, "I… Huh."

 _I haven't been my best self at all…_

Kenta continued, "Yeah. I dunno, I'm just worried he'll get hurt. I mean, I'm worried that everyone might get hurt, but… you get what I mean, right?"

Asuka nodded slowly, "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

 _Christ…_

"We're waiting for Ikeda-kun to leave the library," he added, "Right now Yamasaki-kun's waiting it out in the gift shop."

 _That damn room again…_

Asuka said, "Maybe I'll say hi to him. Or something."

Kenta grinned, "That might be good! Otherwise he might pace himself to death."

Asuka snorted, "Alright. Later, Hasekura. I, uh, hope you're okay."

Kenta blinked, then glanced at the floor, "Thank you. You too."

Asuka uncomfortably hurried down the hallway, turning the corner, and entered the gift shop. Sure enough, Itsuki was pacing in circles, running his hands through his hair.

 _I can't believe I'm fucking doing this._

"Hi," Asuka said.

Itsuki looked up, his features instantly contorting into his usual scowl, "What the fuck do _you_ want?"

Asuka grit her teeth, "Company?"

He sighed, "Fine. If you're that desperate for someone to be around."

 _I don't think I want this, but it looks like I'll be spending the foreseeable future with this fucker._

"Cool," Asuka said quietly, already wishing she'd stayed in the library.

Similar to the last time she'd hung out with him, Itsuki continued to walk in circles, encompassing the small shop. Asuka kept up with him for the first bit, but eventually had to lean against a shelf and catch her breath.

"You have really low stamina," Itsuki remarked when he had looked back to her.

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Wow, nobody's _ever_ made me aware of that before."

Itsuki crossed his arms, "It was just an observation. Don't pick a fucking fight with me."

"You're one to talk," Asuka muttered.

"I don't look for fights," Itsuki said, "They look for me."

Asuka glanced pointedly at his black eye, "Uh-huh."

Itsuki scowled further, somehow, "Back off. You don't know a fucking thing about that."

"I know you're quick to punch someone twice your size," Asuka replied, "but can't handle the consequences."

Itsuki snarled and took a step forwards, extending a threatening hand towards her.

 _Not my neck not my-_

Before he could touch her, Asuka grabbed Itsuki's shoulders and pivoted herself, pinning him against the shelf.

" _Never_ fucking do that," Asuka hissed under her breath, her chest heaving angrily.

For a moment, Itsuki stared at her with wide, fearful eyes, before shoving her backwards and running out of the shop.

"Yeah, go take a hike!" Asuka shouted after him.

 _Piece of shit…_

She stood in silence for a moment, trying to process the event, then sighed.

 _I didn't think it was possible, but I think I grew even further away from Yamasaki today._

Asuka lingered in the gift shop a short while, before sighing and making her way back to the hotel.

 _There's only a few hours left, anyways. It's almost over._

Halfway up the hill, she heard a faint buzz.

"A-hem! Hope's Peak Academy's Vacation Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Please return to your rooms and rest. Let your worries be eased…"

"Good timing, I guess," Asuka muttered.

Guided by the emergency lights, Asuka climbed the stairs. Before she could walk down the hallway, however, she caught sight of someone sitting in the middle of it.

"Hey, Ishikawa-chan," Masuyo greeted weakly.

Asuka put her hands in her pockets, "Uh, hey. What are you doing?"

Masuyo said, "I can't sleep. I… I'm not ready for tomorrow morning."

A small lump formed in Asuka's throat, "Me neither."

 _The revelation of our secrets… if mine even is a secret still._

Asuka sighed and slumped against the wall, sliding down to the floor, "Mind if I stay here?"

"If you want," Masuyo replied, "But you have to eat these apple slices. I don't want them anymore and the kitchen's closed."

She threw the fruit into Asuka's lap less than gracefully. The brunette glanced at the slices suspiciously, but didn't say a word.

"And if you wanna talk… Nothing about tomorrow. Or… or her," Masuyo added, her voice lowering as she glanced at the floor.

She had a distant, misty look in her eyes all of a sudden. Asuka bit her lip.

"You got it… I just want to get out of here," Asuka muttered. When Masuyo raised an eyebrow, she added, "I wouldn't _kill_ for it. But I… I wish I was home."

"Is it nice there?" Masuyo asked.

Asuka pictured the compact, narrow rooms and the leaky roof, "Eh. I mostly miss my dad."

Masuyo tugged on a strand of hair, "Oh. I… Well, if you miss him, I guess he's nice."

Asuka nodded, "Yeah… I take it you're not on the best terms with yours?"

"That's one way of putting it!" Masuyo said, grimacing, "We don't talk about him. Ren's the only one allowed to bring him up."

"That's fair," Asuka said, "Who's Ren?"

Masuyo replied, "Shit, I didn't mean to get this deep into it. She's my foster mom. My real one is… god knows where."

Asuka leaned back against the wall, "Ugh. I'm with you there."

"She just walked out when I was a baby," Masuyo muttered, "Left me with… Well. You get it."

Asuka nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, "I was seven. She…"

Masuyo said, "Don't say it if it's gonna hurt you. Just because I'm spilling my guts like some idiot doesn't mean you gotta."

"She abandoned me in a fucking shopping mall," Asuka hissed, closing her fists tight, "Said she'd be right back, and I never saw her again."

Masuyo said quietly, "That's fucked."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Tell me about it. I actually managed to track her down a few years ago… and she didn't know who I was."

Masuyo screwed up her nose, "What a bitch? Shit like that is what scares me about trying to find _my_ mom. What if I do and… and she doesn't like me?"

"Well, she'd have to be stupid, because you're pretty chill," Asuka replied.

Masuyo blinked, "I… You're weird, Ishikawa-chan."

 _What the fuck?_

Asuka frowned, "I'm sorry?"

Masuyo shrugged, "For thinking that, I mean. You shouldn't like me… and you should eat your apples."

Asuka stared at her, then picked up one of the apple slices and bit into it, despite the pit in her stomach, "Happy? The jury's out on the first request."

Masuyo chuckled weakly, stifling a yawn, "Like I said. You're really weird."

"I get that a lot," Asuka muttered.

Masuyo snorted. Her expression turned serious after a moment, "D'you think things will be okay tomorrow?"

Asuka shrugged, "I don't have a fucking clue. But… it's better than someone dying again."

Masuyo hugged her arms to her chest, "Y-Yeah…"

The pair fell silent.

 _I never want to go through that ever again._

"I think… we should sleep," Masuyo said softly, "We'll need strength for the morning."

Asuka sighed and stood up, clenching the remaining apple slices in her fist, "You're right. Night, Okawa. Take care of yourself."

"No promises," Masuyo said, heading for her room.

Asuka waited for a moment in the dead quiet hall, then ate another apple slice. No point in letting them go to waste. Once she'd settled that, she turned around and entered her own room.

Despite her exhaustion, Asuka couldn't get her eyes to close.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

How many hours had passed since she'd tried to fall asleep? Asuka squinted at the clock underneath the monitor stuck to her wall.

 _2:42AM… I need to clear my head._

Her eyes burned as she stood. Asuka took a moment to rub her temples, then left her room. She kept a hand on the wall, then on the railing, as she descended the stairs into the lobby.

Despite the pitch black air, it wasn't hard to find the door. Asuka slipped into the soft moonlight, shivering ever so slightly. The heat of the day had quickly vanished.

Her legs moved on their own, guiding her down the hill and across the bridge. Asuka kept one hand on the knife inside her vest, on the off chance that there was someone waiting in the darkness.

 _But nobody… will kill. Not after…_

Asuka bit on her lip as she entered the low ceilinged hallway. It was dark inside there too, but significantly more stuffy. She gasped for air slightly as she wandered through, dragging her fingers along the wall.

It was strange, however, how comforting the silence was. The endless echo of her own footsteps were the only thing she could hear.

Asuka rested for a moment near the door to the spa, her heartbeat easing.

 _One more lap, and maybe then I'll head back. I should be tired enough by-_

"EEEAAAAAAAH!"

Asuka's eyes shot open. The bloodcurdling scream sent chills down her spine.

"No…" she croaked, "No. We…"

Asuka dashed around the corner, looking for the source of the scream. When she found nothing, she kept going, heading back towards the entrance.

Standing in front of the open concert hall doors was Ayano, who was shaking uncontrollably.

 _Did she…_

"Chiba!" Asuka shouted, rushing up to her.

Ayano looked up at her, then burst into tears. Asuka shuddered, afraid to turn her head.

"A-Again," Ayano whispered breathlessly, between sobs, "Happen… Happen all over…"

She pointed into the concert hall. A lump formed in Asuka's throat.

Beginning to shake herself, Asuka walked inside. The room seemed normal at first, until her eyes came to rest at the far end, near the stage.

Her head was bowed and her eyes were closed, but her expression was twisted in agony. Blood soaked both her clothes and the sword that had been shoved through her body. Drops of blood fell from her wound to the floor, while she was haphazardly suspended by the sword, still being held by the tall suit of armour.

Saki Yamura was dead.

 **13 STUDENTS REMAIN.**

* * *

AN: like five people told me they thought she'd survive and i cried


	15. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (4)

Asuka's mouth dried up. Her eyes burned and her vision blurred as her brain registered the scene.

"Yamura…" Asuka cried, shaking, " _Yamura!"_

Saki's corpse seemed to mock her.

 _Why… WHY?_

"A body has been discovered! After a free period, which you can spend however you like, the class trial will begin! For now, could everyone gather in the concert hall?"

 _She can't really be dead… I just… I just talked to her. She promised we'd hang out later._

…

 _That was my last conversation with her. I'll never hear her voice again._

…

 _I…_

Asuka couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from Saki, even as the thunderous footsteps of her arriving classmates filled the area.

 _Who would do this to her? What kind of fucking scum would… would…_

"Y-Yamura-san?" Shun croaked, coming up beside Asuka, "No… Not again…"

From behind her, Itsuki shouted, "What the _fuck?!"_

Asuka wearily turned her head. The hiker was gripping his head tight, shaking. Beside him stood Kenta, who was staring wide-eyed at Saki's corpse.

Asuka took a few steps closer to where the brunette was hanging. She was limp and useless.

"Oh, Yamura-san…" a voice to her right said. Asuka glanced over to see that Natsumi had entered the concert hall, and was now approaching. The blonde murmured, "How did this happen?"

Her voice seemed heavy. Asuka looked back at Saki and shuddered.

The doors flew open. Kazue ran in, her half tied up hair falling loose as she raced across the room. Minoru followed in less than a minute after, stopping still the second he laid eyes on Saki.

Kazue gingerly placed a hand on the silver suit of armour, "This… This is sickening."

"It's like the killer wanted to put her on display," Kenta choked out.

Asuka felt bile rise in her throat as she stared at the bloodied sword protruding from Saki's midsection. His observation didn't seem to be wrong.

"Holy shit, what the fuck!?" Hiroki shouted from the entrance, "Are you seeing this shit?!"

Arata barely reacted as Hiroki grabbed his hand, staring blankly at Saki with his lips parted, "I…"

"EEEEEEAGH!" Masuyo screeched, her face ghostly pale. Her knees shook as she continued to stare ahead.

Behind her, Hachirou stiffened, _"Mein Gott…"_

Kazue steadied her voice, "We… We all need to remain calm. There's no chance of us uncovering this if… if we don't all work together."

Arata croaked, "This… This wasn't supposed to happen. How did…"

The doors creaked open again. Asuka turned her head and instantly felt her stomach drop at the sight of the person walking through.

 _Oh fuck..._

Yumiko began, "I'm sorry it took me s-" she broke off almost instantly. For a long second, she did nothing but stare at Saki as tears formed in her eyes, running down her face.

Natsumi murmured, "This won't end well."

"No! _NO!"_ Yumiko screamed. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, "SAKI! _SAKI!"_

"Tsutaya-" Itsuki started.

Yumiko tore at her hair violently as she continued to sob, "This… This isn't happening! S… Saki…!"

Her words turned to incoherent blubbering as she wailed.

Ayano gently placed a hand on her shoulder, but Yumiko didn't respond to it.

"Well, well, well. If you're done making a scene, I'd like to proceed!"

Asuka whipped around, searching out Monokuma. He stood on the top of the stage, just out of reach of the searing spotlights.

"Ah. _You're_ here," Hachirou growled.

Monokuma laughed, "Of course! I always am! If I could get everyone's attention for just a moment… I'm here to present the Monokuma File! Check your E-Handbooks for the lowdown, and maybe get some insight on which of you bastards offed Yamura-san."

Asuka reached for her handbook, opening the fresh tab with a grimace.

 **Monokuma File #2**

 **Victim: Saki Yamura, SHSL Confidant**

 **Time of Death: approximately 1:30AM**

 **The body was found in the concert hall. Cause of death is a single stab wound to the abdomen. The victim has no other external injuries.**

Reading it made her stomach twist.

 _It's so… final. She's… She's really gone._

Monokuma said, "Enjoy this gift as you find the blackened who disturbed the peace! Toodle-oo!"

As usual, he vanished without another word.

Kazue said, "I'll stand guard again. I can make sure that this information is accurate."

"I… will too," Yumiko croaked, getting to her feet and lurching forwards. Her eyes were completely red and tears continued to roll down her face.

Minoru frowned, "Are you sure you're… in a good enough state for that?"

Yumiko whirled around, nostrils flaring. She grabbed Minoru by the lapels of his jacket, lifting him into the air, and snarled, "You shut the fuck up this instant. You have no goddamn right to speak to me, or anyone here."

"Tsutaya, that's more than enough," Kazue said.

Yumiko ignored her, "I won't hear any shit from the scumbag who murdered Saki!"

"I… I didn't-" Minoru wheezed desperately.

Yumiko growled, "Then prove it. I _dare_ you."

Minoru struggled for air.

Kenta ran over, his eyes wide, "Okay, this needs to stop now. Tsutaya-kun, put him down. Nobody else is getting hurt today."

"Says you," Hiroki muttered. Kenta flinched, but had no reply.

Yumiko let go of Minoru. The boy collapsed in a heap on the ground, but seemed unharmed. With fury in her gait, the blonde crossed the room, standing next to Saki.

Had Asuka blinked, she would have missed Yumiko gripping Saki's fingers tight.

"Hmph. Now that that fiasco has been handled," Hachirou said, "I suggest we move. That bear will not give us forever to uncover the truth behind tonight's crime."

 _No kidding, prick!_

…

 _Breathe. I have to do this for Yamura's sake._

 _...And for Kotara and Matsumoto's too._

Asuka looked down at the Monokuma File again. It was significantly less detailed than the one for Kousuke, but she had no way of telling if that was good or bad.

"Hey. Are you going to go this alone?"

Asuka frowned. Natsumi was standing in front of her, hands tucked behind her back. She stuffed her handbook in her pocket and said, "Why do you care?"

"I want to investigate with you," Natsumi said, "I mean, you saved everyone's life at the last trial. We never would have uncovered the truth behind the murder without you. So… I want to be with you!"

Genuine earnesty gleamed in her eyes. Asuka sighed, "If you really want. But you can't fake your death again. That was messed up."

Natsumi giggled, "It was funny! And besides, now I know how everyone will react if I die for real!"

Asuka crossed her arms, "Can you not smile when you say that? Please?"

"Well, only since you said please," Natsumi responded.

 _I don't have time for this._

Asuka turned, then paused for a moment and sniffed the air. Sure enough, mixed among the salty scent of blood, was something even stronger.

"Do you smell something burning?" Asuka asked.

Natsumi shook her head, "No? Are you feeling okay?"

Asuka replied, "I'll live."

 _Probably._

She regretfully turned her attention to Saki. Kazue was kneeling next to her, just barely avoiding the pool of blood staining the carpet, while Yumiko had yet to let go of her hand.

"Tsutaya?" Asuka began, "I know this… really, really sucks for you, but would you mind talking to us?"

Yumiko rubbed her eyes, "Y-Yeah. What do you want to know?"

Natsumi asked, "When was the last time you saw Yamura-san?"

Yumiko somehow managed to look more miserable than she already did, "Half past midnight. She… she told me she was just going to take a walk. Destress. Then she'd meet me back at her room."

"At her room?" Asuka echoed.

Yumiko nodded, "Mm. I tried to stay up for her, but I fell asleep. The… The announcement woke me. I had no idea that I'd already seen her for the last time."

Asuka bit her lip, "I… I'm really sorry."

Yumiko whispered, "I have to find who killed her. Otherwise I might as well die."

Natsumi said, "We'll find them. Thank you. Kanagaki-san, any luck so far?"

Kazue shook her head and readjusted her ponytail, "I need more time. Tsutaya, would you mind if I removed Yamura from the sword? I can't inspect her wound, otherwise."

Yumiko frowned, and for a moment, Asuka was sure she'd refuse. Then she muttered, "Okay. But be careful."

"Of course," Kazue promised.

 _Guess we should look elsewhere for now._

Asuka turned her attention to the stage. Saki had been impaled on the sword closest to it.

"I wonder if they just pushed her from the steps?" Asuka muttered to herself, trying to examine the room.

Natsumi frowned, "It would have to have been set up before, though. All the other swords are facing upright, see?"

 _Damn, she's right._

Asuka walked over to a suit of armour on the left side of the hall, "You don't think it could have just fallen over?"

Natsumi shrugged and put her hands on the metal arm. With a small grunt, she managed to move it so that the sword was facing outwards.

"I'd say it takes too much effort to be unintentional," she concluded.

 _So this wasn't an accident… it was premeditated._

Asuka examined the suit of armour carefully. She stopped when she got to the hand, staring carefully at it. The sword had been welded to the armour.

"The sword can't be removed?" Asuka murmured.

She glanced behind her, but Natsumi had already moved on. She was perching on the stairs next to Arata, who was pointing at something.

"What did you find?" Asuka asked, curiously tilting her head.

Arata looked up, "The carpet on the stairs has been torn here. See?"

Asuka crouched down. It was a small rip, but he was correct.

"It might be nothing," Arata admitted, "Certain types of high heels could've done that. But it seemed out of place."

Natsumi hummed, "Interesting. But probably useless. No offence, Takishida-kun."

Arata stifled a yawn, "N-None taken."

 _The dejected look on your face says otherwise._

"Have you seen anything else?" Asuka asked.

Arata shook his head, "Nothing helpful. I'm genuinely lost as for what to look for. This… shouldn't have happened."

 _No kidding!_

Natsumi stood up, "Brilliant observation. ...Eugh."

Asuka frowned, "What's wrong with you?"

"The stairs are damp," Natsumi muttered, shaking her hand slightly in the air.

 _They are?_

Asuka pressed the back of her hand to the carpet. Sure enough, she could feel a slight wetness.

"Gross," Asuka said.

Arata pinched the bridge of his nose, "But that's bizarre. What could possibly have…"

 _Blood seems like the easy answer, but could it have really splattered onto the stairs?_

"God, I need to get off the stage," Arata mumbled, "The stage lights are too bright."

Asuka turned her head, squinting. To Arata's credit, the lights did seem unnaturally hot. It was extremely difficult to tell, due to her positioning, but multiple lights appeared to be focused on the same area.

"We should check out the booth," Asuka whispered.

Natsumi cocked her head, "Oh? Just us in a dark room?"

Asuka rolled her eyes, "And whoever else is up there."

Natsumi said, "Well, that's good. Now I don't have to worry about you murdering me up there."

 _...That's what she meant?_

From behind, Kazue called out, "Do you two have a moment? I've completed my assessment."

Asuka hopped down from the stage, Natsumi following. Saki had been removed from the sword, and was lying still on the ground, her hands folded neatly on her chest.

She cast a glance at Yumiko to see that the blonde had teared up again.

Kazue said, "I can't do anything intricate because of the circumstances, but I hope this will suffice. I… am unsure of the accuracy of the Monokuma File."

Asuka blinked, "What?"

Kazue lowered her voice, "It's true that Yamura doesn't have any other external injuries. Therefore, it's unlikely that she was in a struggle with her killer."

Natsumi said, "So the killer had a significant physical strength advantage?"

"Not necessarily," Kazue replied, "It's possible that it was a surprise attack."

Natsumi looked almost disappointed, "Huh…"

Yumiko coughed weakly, "So… what's wrong with what the stupid bear said?"

Kazue took a deep breath, "The stab wound is slightly mutilated. It's highly likely that Yamura was stabbed at least twice."

Natsumi said, "Sure you didn't just jolt Yamura-san when you removed her body?"

Kazue seemed offended, "I am incredibly sure."

"I would have noticed," Yumiko said quietly, "She didn't do that."

Asuka pressed, "Did you notice anything else?"

Kazue nodded and pointed to the pool of blood on the carpet, "The size of this is far different than I expected it to be. The shape of the blood splatter is strange as well."

Asuka looked down at the floor. Kazue seemed to be right, though it was difficult to make out the exact area of the splatter.

 _It's weird that there's even splatter at all…_

By her foot, she noticed a small piece of cloth. Asuka knelt down to realize that it was Saki's bow, slightly crumpled and stained with blood.

 _I guess it fell off during…_

…

Asuka silently pocketed it.

Natsumi was already heading for the door to the light booth. Asuka jogged after her, catching up just in time.

The blonde opened the door and curtseyed slightly, "After you, Ishikawa-san."

"You're so dramatic," Asuka replied, staring at her for a moment before stepping inside and climbing the stairs.

Two people were already in the booth. Minoru was bent over the control panel, examining the switches, while Hiroki was doing pushups on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Asuka asked.

Hiroki looked up, "The fuck does it look like? I'm freaked out, okay? This is… fucked up."

"That I can agree with," Natsumi said quietly, "Fujita-kun? What about you?"

Minoru turned his head, "Looking at the controls for the lights. I think they've been moved, but I don't know how this thing works."

Asuka took a few steps over and peered out the tiny window. Half the stage lights had been focused on one spot near the stage.

 _Well, that confirms that… Why, though?_

Asuka hummed, "Weird. Hey, can I ask where you were when this shit went down?"

Minoru blinked, "M-My alibi?"

Asuka nodded, "Yeah. Ayugai, give me yours too."

"Getting my fucking beauty sleep," Hiroki replied, "Duh."

Minoru added, "Y-Yes. I was just… I was in my room. The whole night. Never left."

"Cool," Asuka said, nodding.

 _That's the worst fucking lie I've ever heard._

 _...But what was he doing that he doesn't want me to know about? Unless he's…_

Natsumi pulled open the door to the roof, "Let's go up here next! After you!"

Asuka frowned, "Okay. There really isn't much on the roof, though."

"Better safe than sorry," Natsumi replied.

 _Fair._

Asuka grabbed onto the edges of the window and pulled herself up. She expected Natsumi to surface a moment later, but the blonde seemed to be having trouble.

"Need a hand?" Asuka called down.

"Yes please!" Natsumi said.

Asuka reached through and grabbed Natsumi's hand. Once she had a good grip, she helped lift her through the hole and onto the roof.

Natsumi beamed, "Thanks, Ishikawa-san! I can always count on you."

Asuka shrugged, "It was no big deal. But you're welcome."

 _Glad that someone respects me._

Natsumi lowered her voice, "Do you suspect Fujita-kun?"

"I don't know," Asuka admitted, "But he has the strongest personal motive to kill Yamura, and… well, he just lied to my face."

Natsumi hummed in acknowledgment and turned her head, "I see."

Kenta and Shun were standing near the edge of the roof. Or rather, Shun was standing, and Kenta was half crouched.

"What're you two doing?" Asuka asked, making her way over to them.

Shun turned his head, "Hi. Hasekura-san and I are trying to figure out the height of the building."

Natsumi blinked, "Oh? Why's that?"

Kenta said, "Asari-kun said it might be possible that the killer escaped by jumping off the roof. But it looks way too high for that."

Asuka glanced over the edge and winced, "Uh, yeah. You'd probably die if you did that."

Natsumi said, "Well, that helps a bit. It means that the culprit had to leave through the doors of the concert hall."

 _I don't think it means very much overall, though._

Shun shrugged and tucked his hands into his hoodie, "It was worth a shot."

Kenta nodded, "You did good! Oh, uh, while I have you two… who's in the booth?"

Asuka bit her lip, "Ayugai and Fujita."

Kenta's face fell, "No change. Thanks."

 _Guess their bad blood isn't getting resolved any time soon._

Natsumi said, "We should keep moving. I want to look through the rest of the building before time runs out."

"Fair," Asuka said, "Let's go."

She and Natsumi returned to the small window back to the booth. The blonde jumped down first, and Asuka lowered herself in a moment later.

Together again, the pair descended the stairs and left the concert hall.

Right outside the doors was Ayano, who was sitting on the floor with her head in her hands. She looked appropriately exhausted.

"Hey, Chiba," Asuka spoke gently, "Are you feeling any better?"

Ayano mumbled something that sounded like 'no.'

Natsumi blinked, "What happened to her?"

Asuka whispered, "She found Yamura first. I… I think it messed her up a little."

Natsumi's expression changed entirely, "Oh… Chiba-san, I'm so sorry."

Ayano raised her head, "Not… fault."

Asuka said, "Do you think you could talk to us, just for a little bit?"

"Will try," Ayano shrugged, "What do… need?"

"Your testimony, if that's okay. Why were you out here so late?" Asuka asked.

"Couldn't s-sleep thanks to motive," Ayano whispered, "Decided… walk and calm down."

 _That's pretty much the same as me._

Ayano continued, "Saw… concert hall door open. Looked in… and Yamura-san… I-I screamed."

 _Which is when I showed up. Good to get it clear, though._

 _...Hey._

Asuka frowned, "Just wondering… how many people have to find a corpse before that creepy announcement goes off?"

Natsumi reached into her jacket pocket and glanced at her handbook, "Three. It says so in the rules. Why?"

"I wanted to be sure," Asuka responded.

 _If that's the case… why did it play after only Chiba and I found her?_

 _...Did someone else get there first?_

"One other thing," Asuka said, "Do either of you know when the announcement happened?"

Natsumi shrugged.

Ayano said, "Um… Ikeda-kun… have answer?"

 _Him?!_

"He does wear a watch," Natsumi said, "Do you know where he is?"

Ayano got to her feet, "Think… checking library."

 _Ugh. Guess we're going there._

Ayano led the other two down the hall to the library. Masuyo was sitting on the carpet inside, nose in a book.

"Reading something interesting?" Natsumi asked.

Masuyo shrugged, "Not really. The entire education section is centred on murder, so I thought maybe I could find something helpful… But it's just making me sick."

Asuka bit her lip, "Eugh. Sounds brutal. Uh, is Ikeda here?"

"He's in the archive room," Masuyo said, screwing up her nose, "The hell do you need with him?"

Natsumi said, "He has a watch."

Masuyo pointed at the back wall, "Oh! Well if you need the time, there's a clock right there."

Asuka glanced past the shelf and squinted. The clock hands were angled at three and six.

"It's three-thirty," Natsumi said, crossing her arms, "Does that help you, Ishikawa-san?"

Ayano squeaked, "Needed… announcement time, right?"

Asuka nodded, "Yeah, what Chiba said. But that does help a bit."

 _Three-thirty?! This is worse than I thought._

Masuyo shrugged and flipped a page, "Well, if you're _desperate…_ Like I said, check the archive room."

Ayano clasped her hands, "T-Thank y-you!"

"No problem. See you three," Masuyo replied softly.

 _She sounds exhausted..._

Luckily - or perhaps, unluckily - Hachirou was exiting the archive room the second Asuka approached it. For a moment, he observed her, Natsumi, and Ayano, before saying "May I be of service?"

Asuka cut to the chase, "Do you know what time the body discovery announcement went off at?"

Hachirou looked down at his watch for a split second, "It couldn't have been any later than two strokes after three. Why do you ask?"

 _Like hell I'll tell you!_

"It'll give us a good idea of how much longer the investigation will be," Natsumi cut in, "I believe the first one was just over an hour."

Hachirou adjusted his glasses, "Hmph. I see. Well, I appreciate you coming to me for guidance in this dark-"

"Shut up," Asuka muttered, only realizing after Natsumi laughed that she'd spoken aloud.

 _Whatever._

Hachirou's brow furrowed, "I see that's what you think of my intellect. I won't be helping you out again."

 _Prick._

Asuka turned around and headed out of the library. Natsumi quickly ran after her, while Ayano called out from behind.

"Will s-stay here! Be… useful…" her voice began to fade out quickly.

Once they were outside, Natsumi asked, "So, why'd you really want to know that?"

Asuka bit her lip.

 _I don't know if I trust her enough. But at the same time, she did help me out…_

 _...Fuck it. Guess I owe her._

"If Yamura died at one-thirty, and the announcement didn't play till three," Asuka began, "then there's an empty hour and a half for… just about anything to have happened."

Natsumi grinned, "Ooh, perceptive. I knew that already, of course, but it's good to see we're on the same page."

 _I'm sure you did._

Asuka repressed the urge to roll her eyes and said, "Alright, genius. Where should we look next?"

Natsumi pointed down the hall, "The gift shop. I think there could be something really important in there!"

 _Like what?!_

"If you're sure," Asuka said, quickening her pace, "There isn't a lot left on this island anyways."

Natsumi held the door open so they could both slip inside. The gift shop looked the same as always, dusty and unsettling. Asuka grit her teeth as she combed through the shelves of merchandise.

For a moment, her eyes caught on the five switchblades in the case at the back of the room, but focused her attention elsewhere. Thankfully, it seemed untouched.

From behind, Natsumi murmured, "Huh. Would you look at that…"

Asuka turned to her and frowned, "What?"

Natsumi jerked her head towards one of the shelves. She followed the gesture to see that Itsuki was rifling through the Monokuma decaled t-shirts with his head low to the ground.

"Oh, great," Asuka grumbled.

Itsuki looked up at that, his already tense features furrowing even further, "The fuck are you two staring at?!"

Natsumi chirped, "Hi, Yamasaki-kun! We were just curious about what your investigation might've uncovered."

"I'm not telling either of you jack shit," Itsuki said, throwing the shirts to the ground and stomping out.

Asuka sighed, "Helpful."

Natsumi, however, murmured distantly, "His eyes were red…"

 _...Was he crying?_

"You still want to waste time in here?" Asuka asked.

Natsumi shook her head, "No, I saw everything I needed to. Let's look at the spa next!"

 _Great. I needed a migraine._

Asuka sighed, but followed the blonde to the large double doors. It still smelled strongly inside the spa, and she wrinkled her nose on instinct.

 _Ugh, it's so…_

…

 _...Hold on._

"Hydrogen peroxide!" Asuka shouted.

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, "What's up with you?"

Asuka said, "That's what I smelled at the crime scene, the thing that was burning!"

 _I'm so STUPID._

Asuka looked around for the metal push cart, then grinned. The brown bottle was sitting open on top of it.

"See?" she picked it up.

Natsumi nodded, "I do. But I don't think it's very relevant to Yamura-san's death."

 _I guess not, but…_

Asuka placed the bottle back down.

 _This thing is… half empty. Was it used recently?_

 _Hm._

Near the cart was a small wicker trash can. Asuka sighed and knelt down, preparing to root through it. A few pieces of clear packaging were at the top, but below it was the real prize.

A plethora of bloody tissues filled almost half the can. They smelled faintly of the hydrogen peroxide as well.

"What the fuck?" Asuka whispered.

At the very bottom of the can was a bloodied towel. Bile rose in her throat.

 _Looks like the culprit came here to clean themselves up…_

With nothing else of note in the wicker, Asuka stood back up. The other place of note to her was the spluttering fountain… which seemed to have something shiny inside that was reflecting off the lights.

Asuka trudged over, scowling at the rose scented water, then reached inside. At the bottom of the fountain was a long, thin, silver piece of metal.

"What the fuck is…"

Natsumi came up behind her, "Oh, looks like a nail file. It probably fell down from the shelf above here."

Asuka glanced up. Sure enough, the shelf was bursting with polishes and files.

 _Guess that isn't unreasonable, then._

"Well, you find anything actually useful?" Asuka asked.

Natsumi held out her hand to reveal a hunk of metal with Monokuma's face painted on, "Just this. I think it's a massage tool. Monokuma seems narcissistic enough for it."

Asuka snorted, "Seems? We just came out of the gift shop."

She shrugged, "I don't think it'll be very helpful overall, though."

 _Maybe not… but I did find what was in the trash. That'll certainly turn something around._

"Mind if we go back to the concert hall quickly?" Asuka asked, "I want to check out Yamura's room, and we'll need her key."

Natsumi's eyes sparkled as she reached into her pocket and dangled a key in front of her, "No worries! I already grabbed it, back when Kanagaki-san was explaining her analysis."

Asuka blinked, "What?! You stole-"

"She's dead," Natsumi replied, "It isn't stealing anymore."

 _So now you're a graverobber. Alright._

Asuka sighed, "Fine. Let's go, quickly. I don't know how much time we still have."

Natsumi smiled, "We should be fine. It's ten minutes between here and the hotel… five if we run."

Asuka felt her lungs burn even thinking about it, "Then let's run."

She regretted it the second she started moving, but Asuka wasn't going to let Monokuma's time limit screw her over. Halfway there, she began to fall behind, so Natsumi grabbed her hand and essentially dragged her across the bridge and up to Saki's room.

By the time they arrived, Asuka couldn't breathe. She fell to her knees, wheezing desperately.

Natsumi frowned, "Are you okay?"

"Weak… lungs…" Asuka panted, "Just… give me a… second."

She heard a small scratching sound, then a click, "Okay. The door's open whenever you're ready!"

Asuka carefully stood up after a moment and followed Natsumi into Saki's room. It was very neat and orderly; all the furniture was straightened and the bed was so neatly made that it didn't seem to be used at all.

 _I guess that makes sense… With what little I knew about Yamura._

The only item out of place in the entire room was a small, black notebook that sat on the nightstand.

 _I think I've seen her writing in this a few times… She always hid it, though._

While Natsumi looked through the closet, Asuka picked up the book and flipped it open.

 _Sorry, Yamura. Wish it wasn't like this._

The first thing she was faced with was a recognizable, though inaccurate sketch of her own face. Asuka stared blankly for a moment, then began reading the neatly scrawled handwriting below.

 _Asuka Ishikawa - Tattoo Artist_

 _-Impulsive, quick to anger, lack of verbal filter_

 _-Stubborn, bitter, untrustworthy of others_

 _-Possibly dangerous, could be connected to_

 _-Not a leader, though Kotara thinks she is_

 _-...Friend?_

"What the _fuck?!"_ Asuka exclaimed. The page went on, listing other traits and observations. Apparently, Saki had been doing the same thing for everyone else.

 _No wonder she was hiding this thing… This is fucking terrifying!_

Natsumi leaned over her shoulder, "What's that?"

"Yamura was keeping some creepy notebook with information on us," Asuka replied, flipping through.

Natsumi said, "Oh, really? Does she have a page about me? I'd love to know what it says!"

Asuka glanced at her, then flipped through the notebook, "Let's see. Not to be trusted. Thief. Attention seeker. Seems to be enjoying the situation. Very dangerous."

... _No known background information?_

She kept the last bullet to herself, hoping Natsumi didn't have a chance to read it.

 _Who the hell is Uchiyama?_

"Huh, that's not very nice," Natsumi said, pouting.

Asuka closed the book, "None of the entries were. I'm… confused."

 _I don't think I knew Yamura at all… If she was that suspicious of us all._

Overhead, the monitor on Saki's wall buzzed. Asuka gritted her teeth.

"I'm tired of waiting for you to do something interesting. It's time to get this show on the road, bastards! I'll meet you all at the class trial!"

Natsumi put her hands in her pockets, "Looks like we're out of time."

Asuka tucked the notebook into the inner vest pocket opposite the kitchen knife, then said, "Mm. We should get out of here."

Natsumi's gaze lingered on her for a second, "...Okay."

 _...The hell is she thinking?_

With what felt like a blade in the back of her throat, Asuka left Saki's room. Natsumi's footsteps echoed from behind her as the pair left the darkened hotel and headed for the spiral staircase in the hill.

A few people had already began to descend into the inky black, while others were still crossing the rickety bridge.

 _Here we go again._

With one hand gripping the stone cold wall, Asuka ventured down towards the elevator. The golden doors were shiny enough to display her reflection, and she scowled.

It wasn't long before the rest of the class arrived in the tiny room.

 _Thirteen…_

 _And one of them isn't coming out again._

With a soft ding, the doors slid open. Asuka entered quickly, leaning against the back wall. Nobody said a word, the sick silence speaking more about their thoughts about what was to come than anything else ever could.

Monokuma's voice rang out through the small box, "Greetings, cherished bastards! It's almost time for the blood pumping class trial! Hold on tight!"

 _Yamura… I really don't know what the hell you were actually up to. But… I thought of you as my friend._

The doors closed.

 _I'll find your killer, and I'll avenge you._

Her heart plummeted at the same time the elevator did.

 _I'm going to survive this._

* * *

a/n: so... who did it? reviews and theories are very much appreciated c:


	16. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (5)

The elevator hit the ground violently. Asuka flinched as she flew into the air slightly with the impact.

Then, the doors opened. Like the first time, not a person moved.

Finally, Itsuki grumbled, "Are we just going to stand here and die?"

"No," Yumiko said, pushing her way out, "Only the scumbag culprit is."

Her voice sounded like it was filled with lead.

People began to move after that comment. Asuka ended up being the last out yet again, only barely stepping into the courtroom before the doors closed.

The same marble pillars held up the circular room, but the stained glass now covered the area in patches of silver and red.

Monokuma was already seated atop his throne, "My wonderful students! Please, take your stands and prepare for what's certain to be one of the most exciting class trials in decades!"

Asuka found her spot easier this time. Her eyes roamed around the circle, resting on the unoccupied places. In addition to Kousuke's signpost, there was now one for Saki. Her face was also crossed out with what looked to be blood.

Directly across from where Asuka stood was the third portrait, of Hikari. A pair of roses in the shape of an X covered her mouth.

 _...I'm sorry._

Asuka quickly slipped her e-handbook into the small slot on her podium, like she did before. A list of evidence came up on the screen in the approximate order she'd collected it in.

 _I hate that fucking bear._

 _Makes me wonder what else he's recording._

"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! Here today, you are judge, jury, and executioner, as your votes determine the final results!" Monokuma declared, repeating his spiel, "If you can pick out the blackened culprit amongst you, then only they will be punished!"

Hikari's execution flashed through Asuka's head.

"But if you choose the wrong person… I'll punish the remaining spotless in their place, and the culprit will be given the right to graduate!" Monokuma finished with a bow, before throwing himself back onto the seat of his throne.

Hiroki mumbled, "I don't wanna do this again…"

"But there is no other way to ensure our continued survival," Hachirou pointed out, "We must pursue the truth."

Asuka added, "And I'm not letting Yamura's death be for nothing."

"Alright shitstains, give it up!" Yumiko shouted, slamming a fist against her palm, "Who's the culprit?!"

Nobody spoke. A pin could have dropped in the room.

Itsuki rolled his eyes, "Did you really think that would work?"

"Choke!" Yumiko shouted.

"Gladly," Itsuki replied, crossing his arms.

Kazue said sternly, "This isn't the time for petty arguments. We… We need to figure out the truth."

Ayano nodded solemnly, "Can't die…"

Arata looked up from his typewriter, "What do we do?"

Ugly silence filled the room as awkward glances were exchanged.

 _Yamura lead the first trial, didn't she? ...We're pretty useless without her._

"Well, why don't we try to emulate what worked last time?" Natsumi asked.

Minoru frowned, "...Baseless accusations?"

Masuyo pouted, "They weren't baseless! I had evidence!"

Kazue pressed her lips together.

"I meant starting by reading the Monokuma File," Natsumi clarified, "That way, we can make sure everyone's on the same page."

Shun tilted his head, "But everyone read it this time, right?"

Hiroki guiltily folded his arms and muttered, "I didn't."

Arata stopped typing for a moment, "Hm?"

Asuka frowned, "Why the hell not?"

"Does that matter?" Hiroki asked, "Just… someone else, read it."

Tentatively, Kenta said, "I can do it, but… Why-"

"Oh my fucking god! I can't read the shitty font the bear uses, okay?!" Hiroki shouted, "The letters… swim."

Arata said gently, "I would have read the file for you during the investigation."

"Well I didn't want to look like a fucking idiot! But since we're here now, just…" Hiroki grumbled, gesturing to Kenta, "You volunteered, so read, you good for nothing piece of shit."

Kenta flinched, "The… the time of death was 1:30 AM. We know Yamura-kun is the victim. Um, the cause of death was a single stab wound to the abdomen. And she didn't have any other injuries."

Natsumi said, "Thank you, Hasekura-kun. I appreciate it. There, now it's all out in the open."

Arata returned to typing, "The time of death stands out. Why was Yamura-san awake so late?"

"That is somewhat strange," Kazue agreed, "Tsutaya, you said you were with her prior, correct?"

Yumiko nodded, her voice low, "Yes. I last saw Saki at half past midnight. She said… She said she was just going to take a quick walk, then meet me again."

"Oh…" Ayano whispered softly.

"And that was it," Yumiko murmured, "I heard her last words to me, and I had no idea."

Minoru asked nervously, "Can… Can I ask what she said?"

"'I love you. I'll be back soon,'" Yumiko quoted, lowering her head and wiping her eyes.

 _Their very last conversation… Another promise to meet again soon._

Yumiko growled, "I want everyone's alibis this fucking second."

"Who's gonna have an alibi for two in the morning?!" Masuyo exclaimed, "I was _ASLEEP_."

Kazue raised her hand, "Actually, I have one."

 _She what?_

Hachirou quirked a brow, "Oh? Do tell. For the record, I was also deep in slumber."

Asuka rolled her eyes, "We get it, you're smart. Shut up."

"Insolence," Hachirou muttered.

Kazue said, "I was with Fujita from around midnight to when the body discovery announcement played."

Itsuki blinked, "For three hours?!"

"We were talking," Kazue shrugged, "I hadn't realized how late, or rather, early, it had become."

Asuka glanced across the room. Minoru looked like he was about to sink into the floor.

…

 _Well, I guess he wasn't lying earlier._

"Okay, so those two can't be the culprit," Asuka said quickly, "Anyone else have something?"

Itsuki replied, "Dead asleep."

Shun noded, "Same here."

"W-Was up, but… found body," Ayano mumbled.

Kenta asked, "Was anyone else here… not asleep?"

Asuka raised her hand, but she was the only one. She clarified, "I found Yamura with Chiba, though."

Minoru said softly, "Ah, but… we can't really prove any of these alibis, huh? Since it was so late…"

"No shit!" Hiroki exclaimed, "It was a lot easier last time."

Masuyo shivered.

"In that case, the rest of you are all suspects," Yumiko declared, "Hasekura-kun, you're strong. You could… could have easily…"

She trailed off, but the image of Saki's impaled corpse flashed into Asuka's head instantly.

Arata added, "And he's admitted to be prone to violence. Hasekura-kun is definitely an option."

"That's not proof of anything!" Itsuki snapped.

Kenta looked like he might cry.

Natsumi tilted her head, "Do you have anything to back your accusation with?"

Yumiko turned to face her, "U-Uchiyama-san is a compulsive liar! She's probably trying to pull the wool over our eyes!"

With exasperation, Hachirou said, "Uchiyama is so suspicious in every aspect of her existence that I've completely discounted her."

"Oh, you're not getting away so easy!" Yumiko said, whirling to the stand next to her, "Maybe _you_ killed Saki to try and prove you're the smartest person here, cause you killed the leader!"

"This is childish," Hachirou remarked dryly.

"Um, Tsutaya-san?" Shun said carefully, "This isn't going to get us anywhere. You need to calm down."

Rage filled Yumiko's face as she swung around, "Calm down?! _Calm down?!_ I loved Saki more than anyone in the goddamn _world,_ and you're telling me to relax when one of you sick freaks fucking _murdered her?!_ Eat shit, all of you!"

Asuka muttered, "This is going nowhere fast."

Masuyo said softly, "We… We don't really have a lot of direct evidence though. There's nobody who stands out."

 _The culprit did a good job covering their tracks._

Kenta bit his lip, "I wish we had some kind of indication as to who was on the scene…"

Hachirou crossed his arms, "Perhaps we should try to form a timeline of events."

"Could work!" Ayano squeaked, "Um… twelve-thirty…"

Minoru elaborated, "That's when Yamura-san and Tsutaya-san saw each other for the last time."

Yumiko sniffled.

Kazue said, "If I recall correctly, she was going for a walk."

"And then she met the killer in the concert hall," Asuka said, flicking her earring.

Arata took a deep breath, "I think it's fair to say that the two had… some sort of altercation."

Itsuki continued, "Then the culprit shoved Yamura onto the outstretched sword and killed her almost instantly."

"Not a lot of detail… But I guess it's a start?" Masuyo said tentatively.

Asuka frowned, "I already have problems with it."

"What _don't_ you have problems with?" Hiroki rolled his eyes.

Shun said, "Be nice, Ayugai-san…"

Ayano clasped her hands, "Um! Problems?"

"Yamura isn't injured, aside from… you know," Asuka said, awkwardly gesturing to her stomach, "Kanagaki confirmed that during the investigation. So I doubt there was much of a struggle."

Natsumi hummed, "Mm… On top of that… we're describing this so far like a crime of passion. But all the swords were facing straight up, save for the one that killed Yamura-san."

Kenta gasped, "So the crime was premeditated?"

Yumiko gagged, "Son of a bitch…"

"I guess that's possible," Minoru said, "Maybe the culprit arranged to meet Yamura-san there?"

Kazue said, "Perhaps. As it stands, I have another issue with this story."

Hiroki complained, "What's wrong with it now?"

Kazue sighed before speaking, "Yamura's wound was slightly mutilated. One clean shove shouldn't have caused that."

"Maybe she was stabbed a couple times?" Kenta suggested.

Itsuki shook his head, "No, remember, it says in the file that Yamura was only stabbed once."

Kenta looked down, "Oh… Sorry."

"Dipshit," Hiroki muttered.

"What the hell? Did the bear lie?" Masuyo glared at Monokuma accusingly.

Monokuma seemed offended, "I would NEVER! I can assure you that the Monokuma File is always accurate. The cause of death was one stab wound."

 _So what happened when they shoved her onto the sword?_

…

 _Onto…_

 _...the sword._

 _FUCK._

"We fucked up!" Asuka shouted.

Yumiko blinked, "Huh?"

Asuka breathed, "The sword… the sword isn't the murder weapon!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Itsuki said, looking at her like she'd grown a second head.

Shun added, "It's stained with Yamura-san's blood!"

Asuka shook her head, "No, it… it literally _can't_ be the weapon."

An image of Saki standing on tiptoe, cheerfully poking the sword, flashed into Asuka's head.

Hachirou said dismissively, "She's delusional, evidently."

" _I checked them all! They're not real, see?"_

Asuka gasped, "Because the swords aren't real."

The room became deadly silent. Then, Monokuma's laughter echoed throughout the chamber.

"Upupupu! And the penny drops!"

"She's right?!" Minoru exclaimed.

Masuyo gripped the sides of her head, "That's fucking insane!"

Quietly, Natsumi said, "How interesting…"

"Interesting? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Yumiko cried.

Kenta scratched his neck, "Yamura-kun must have already been wounded, then…"

Ayano fumbled, "Was… was impaled… after death?"

"Oh! The carpet on the stage stairs was torn!" Arata said with a bright smile, "Maybe she was stabbed around there, and then… placed on the sword. For some reason."

Hiroki blinked, "Why the everloving fuck would the killer go to all that effort if they'd already killed Yamura?"

"Attention?" Minoru shrugged, "Maybe the killer… is trying to brag. Or they hope to gain something from confusing us."

"I don't get it! Does it even matter if the swords are real or not?" Masuyo said, "If the killer was strong enough, they could probably shove her onto the sword and it'd still tear through her."

She finished this with a glance at Hachirou.

Yumiko whispered, "It would… explain the mutilation."

Itsuki rolled his eyes, "The sword was the weapon. Ishikawa's just stupid."

Asuka scowled, "HEY!"

Kazue ignored the shouts, "Personally, I'm inclined to believe that the sword was not the weapon."

"Well, well, well! Guess what time it is!" Monokuma said cheerfully.

"...Nap time?" Shun asked hopefully.

Masuyo's eyes widened, "Don't make us vote yet!"

Monokuma laughed, "No and no! It looks like things are split again, so it's time for… a SCRUM DEBATE!"

 _Not this shit again!_

Ayano whispered, "N-No height…"

Monokuma wasn't listening to her. He produced the golden key that sent everyone flying into the air prior and stuck it into a mechanism in front of the throne.

The trial podiums rumbled. Asuka closed her eyes, feeling air rush all around her as they rose into the air.

 _...I feel sick._

She took a moment to glance at her team, then grit her teeth as she faced forwards.

 _Here we fucking go again!_

[ _IS THE SWORD THE MURDER WEAPON?_ ]

[ **YES: Yumiko Tsutaya, Masuyo Okawa, Hiroki Ayugai, Hachirou Ikeda, Saki Yamura, Kenta Hasekura, Itsuki Yamasaki, Hikari Matsumoto** ]

[ **NO: Asuka Ishikawa, Kazue Kanagaki, Shun Asari, Kousuke Kotara, Natsumi Uchiyama, Arata Takishida, Minoru Fujita, Ayano Chiba** ]

Hachirou asserted, "Yamura was impaled on the _sword_. It must be the weapon."

Shun countered, "But the _sword_ isn't real. None of them are."

Hiroki shrugged, "I mean, supposedly! Maybe Ishikawa's _lying_ about that."

"She isn't _lying._ I can confirm that the swords aren't sharp enough to kill," Kazue said.

"But no other weapons were found at the _scene!"_ Masuyo responded.

Arata said, "That doesn't mean anything. The culprit probably took the weapon when they left the _scene."_

Itsuki said, "If the culprit was strong enough, they could have forced Yamura's _corpse_ onto the sword."

"That would have left bruises, or something," Asuka replied, "Her _corpse_ had no other injuries."

"But force would explain… explain why she was _mutilated_ ," Yumiko mumbled.

Minoru said, "Yamura-san might have been _mutilated_ because she was impaled after death."

Kenta said, "But _why_ would the culprit do that?"

" _Why…_ not matter. Fact it happened… does," Ayano said, shaking.

The other side didn't have a rebuttal. Slowly, the podiums sank back to their normal positions.

 _...Ugh._

Asuka glanced at Natsumi, "Hey, you didn't say anything."

The blonde grinned, "You made all my points for me. Thanks for making this next part easier."

 _The fuck is she talking about?_

"If you're so sure that the sword isn't the weapon, what the hell is?" Itsuki snapped.

Natsumi said, "Ah… we've made it here at last."

Hiroki eyed her, "...What?"

"The culprit simply used a knife they had on their person. A knife they'd hidden away for several days. A knife they had stolen," Natsumi said, looking Asuka right in the eyes as she did so.

 _...You._

Asuka hissed, "Uchiyama, I swear to fucking god-"

Natsumi cut her off, "I'd like to indict Ishikawa-san. She's the one who killed Yamura-san."

Shun's jaw dropped, "W-What?!"

Masuyo had gone pale, "Are you serious?!"

Yumiko snarled, glaring daggers at Asuka, "You _BITCH_. I'll kill you! I'll rip your lungs apart-"

"I'm not the fucking culprit!" Asuka shouted, staring at Natsumi, "What is wrong with you?!"

"She had means, motive and opportunity," Natsumi continued, ignoring her, "Ishikawa-san wanted to hide her secret, she fully admitted to being awake earlier… and I'd wager she's still hiding the murder weapon inside her vest."

Minoru held up his hands, "Hey, slow down. I don't get it, what's all this about a stolen knife?"

Kenta looked slightly sick, "Do… Do I need to pat her down?"

Asuka sighed, "Don't waste your time."

Shun blinked, "What are you-"

 _I can't fucking believe this._

Asuka reached into her vest and produced the knife, flicking her wrist so everyone could see the blade.

"I stole this from the kitchen the day after the first trial. For self defence," Asuka muttered, throwing it to the floor, where it clattered.

Natsumi said, "And I watched you take it. You really thought nobody would notice?"

Asuka whispered, "I…"

 _This is bad._

"I knew you were dangerous as soon as I saw that," Natsumi whispered bitterly.

Itsuki raised an eyebrow, "Hold on. You were hanging off her shoulder throughout the investigation. If Ishikawa was so dangerous…"

Natsumi twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "Well, I had to keep an eye on her. Make sure she didn't forge or destroy evidence."

"What the hell?! I thought you trusted me!" Asuka shouted.

Natsumi replied, "I'm a pathological liar, Ishikawa-san. You shouldn't believe anything I say."

 _How did I let you deceive me?_

 _...Again?_

Shun frowned, "...Then why should we trust you now?"

Arata said quietly, "Because we've seen the proof."

Yumiko shook violently, "You… filthy piece of shit. You promised me you were going to track down Saki's killer."

"Stop…" Ayano said.

"I'll fucking flay you alive!" Yumiko's volume increased, "You don't deserve to live any longer, you lowlife scum!"

Ayano tried again, "Stop!"

"You're a pathetic, unforgivable, scumbag," Yumiko threatened, "I'll take away everything you've ever loved! I'll break every single bone in your rotting body! I'll _torture_ you until-"

" _STOP!"_ Ayano screamed at the top of her lungs. When she was met with dead silence, she widened her eyes and covered her mouth.

Kenta said gently, "No, go on, Chiba-kun."

Quivering from head to toe, Ayano choked out, "Ishikawa-san…. cannot be culprit."

Hiroki shrugged, "I dunno, I'm convinced."

"I believe she's innocent myself, but you sound quite certain, Chiba," Kazue said.

"A-Ah…" Ayano hunched her shoulders, "Ding ding ding."

 _What?_

Hachirou raised an eyebrow, "I don't follow."

Shun snapped his fingers, "The body discovery announcement?"

"Yes!" Ayano nodded, "Went off when Ishikawa-san found…"

Masuyo cocked her head, "What do the rules say about that again?"

Arata glanced at his e-handbook, "The announcement plays when three or more spotless students discover a body for the first time."

"Oh, spotless!" Minoru said, "Chiba-san's right, Ishikawa-san can't be the killer."

Kenta held up a hand, "Wait, three people have to find the body, though. Chiba-kun, Ishikawa-kun…"

Kazue's eyes swept the room, "Who was the first person on the scene?"

"Nobody will admit to it… How curious," Hachirou said.

"The killer might be holding something over their head," Arata said.

Masuyo's eyes widened, "Like blackmail?"

Hiroki said, "Ooh, maybe there was an accomplice."

Monokuma laughed, "Well, you'd have to be a fool to try that!"

"Shut up! This isn't about you!" Yumiko shouted.

Monokuma ignored her, "I'd like to explain the accomplice clause. Basically, there's no point! Only the blackened, who delivers the final blow, can escape this hotel."

Kazue gripped her watch, "So we can rule that option out."

"But nobody knew that until now!" Natsumi pointed out, "Hey, maybe Ishikawa-san is the accomplice. That's why she's been so suspicious."

Natsumi continued to talk, but her words slowly faded into the background.

 _Why the hell is she doing this? What does she hope to gain by…_

 _By…_

 _It was only for a split second, but…_

Asuka carefully scrutinized the blonde.

 _There's something red on her dress._

"Hold it. I want to say something," Asuka said.

Itsuki scowled, "What now?"

Asuka took a deep breath, "I have my own theory to the killer's identity."

 _I'm not certain this time, but if I don't act now, she'll get away with this._

Hachirou turned to her curiously, "I implore you to speak immediately."

 _I can't fucking believe you…_

 _ **CHOOSE A PERSON!**_


	17. Chapter Two: Return to Sender (6)

AN: I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT I WAS UPLOADING THIS TO FFN AS WELL AS AO3. If you're interested in keeping up with this story as it updates, check out the ao3 mirror! /works/12240360/chapters/27811134

Anyways. Back to suffering.

* * *

 **CHOSEN: NATSUMI UCHIYAMA**

Asuka said darkly, "You really thought you'd get away with this, Uchiyama?"

Natsumi's eyes widened.

"Wait, what the hell? Are you _that_ mad she just accused you?" Arata exclaimed.

Asuka glared at him, "Shut up."

Masuyo said quietly, "Ishikawa-chan said it was just a theory, but… I think it's possible."

 _Thank you!_

"Isn't weird how much she's been trying to push guilt onto me?" Asuka said, " And that's far from my only issue."

"Oh? Enlighten me, then," Natsumi challenged, pressing her lips together.

Asuka muttered, "...Gladly."

Minoru whispered, "This'll be interesting…"

 _God, no kidding._

 _Here goes nothing._

"At the crime scene, I smelled something burning. It later turned out to be the scent of hydrogen peroxide," Asuka began carefully, "Uchiyama claimed she didn't know what I was talking about."

Natsumi sighed, "Is that really-"

Asuka snapped, "I'm not finished!"

Kazue crossed her arms, "Hydrogen peroxide is often used to remove blood from fabric."

"The killer probably got blood on them during the murder…" Shun shivered.

"And there's still blood on Uchiyama's dress. So of course she'd lie about not smelling it," Asuka said, looking at her, "She used the hydrogen peroxide to clean up after killing Yamura, and missed a spot."

Natsumi's face contorted uncomfortably.

Arata whispered, "Oh my god…"

"That… that doesn't…" Natsumi started.

Asuka kept talking, "There were bloody tissues and a towel in the trash can of the spa. And the bottle of hydrogen peroxide in there was open and half empty. What I smelled… The scent was still on her dress."

Hachirou folded his arms, "I'll confess, this analysis is solid. At the very least, it has more basis than anything else we've discussed thus far."

Asuka turned her gaze to focus on Natsumi. Her gaze was downcast, hair covering most of her face.

Then, suddenly, she stood up straight with a blinding grin.

"Aww!" Natsumi beamed, "You figured me out!"

Hiroki blanched, "What the fuck?!"

"I really should have tried harder, though," Natsumi said cheerfully, "I mean, Ishikawa-san was so proficient at the first trial… I couldn't have hidden from her forever!"

Itsuki raised an eyebrow, "So you confess to killing Yamura?"

Natsumi nodded, "Of course! It was me, all along. So sorry for all the trouble."

Yumiko seethed, "Kotara-kun had the right idea when he tried to kill you."

Natsumi flinched.

"Well, that's not fair," Kenta defended, "Maybe she had… some kind of reason?"

Natsumi chirped, "Nope! I'm completely unforgivable, and I fully expect you to hate me."

 _...What the hell?_

"Don't… understand," Ayano said.

"The fuck is there to understand? Uchiyama's a freak and a murderer," Hiroki said, "I say we vote now and get this shit show over with."

"God, he's right," Yumiko growled, "I hope you burn in hell. I'd strangle you if I could reach your slimy neck.

Natsumi swallowed, "...Noted."

 _Something… doesn't seem right._

As if confirming her thoughts, Minoru said, "I don't buy it."

"Eh?" Ayano blinked.

"I don't think Uchiyama-san is the real culprit, no matter what she's saying right now," Minoru clarifies.

Shun asked, "But why would she use this many theatrics if she's innocent?"

Minoru said, "I don't know! But if she's the culprit, there's way too many unanswered questions. And I can't be the only one who thinks she gave in way too easily."

"She's just a fucking creep!" Hiroki insisted, "We can't let her do anything else dangerous. Let's finish her."

Kazue shook her head, "No, I have a problem with what Uchiyama's said too. Fujita has a point."

Minoru looked almost pleasantly startled.

Asuka said, "Alright, Uchiyama. If you're the culprit, you won't have a problem with explaining exactly how you killed Yamura."

"Easy. I pulled the sword out of the suit of armour, and stabbed her," Natsumi replied, starting to play with her hair, "Then I replaced the sword and impaled Yamura-san, which is why her wound was messed up."

 _...Gotcha._

Asuka said, "Not true. The swords can't be removed from the suits of armour. And… they aren't real! You remember that much, don't you?"

Natsumi looked uncomfortable. Her hand swiftly stroked her hair as she quickly flashed another smile.

 _I… I don't think she's the culprit still._

 _...But I don't think this entire story is a lie._

"What the fuck are you doing, Uchiyama-chan?" Masuyo questioned.

Hachirou added, "Are you the culprit, or is this some kind of ruse for your own amusement?"

"Not for my amusement," Natsumi said quietly, "But… it was a ruse. I've never killed anyone, least of all Yamura-san."

Yumiko hissed, "You're sickening."

"I… I'm confused," Arata admitted, "What _did_ you do, then?"

Natsumi kept one hand on her braid as she talked, "I was the first person to find the body. Yamura-san… she was lying still on the floor by the stairs."

 _During that missing ninety minutes..._

"I tried to find her pulse, but she'd been dead for at least half an hour," Natsumi added.

Shun covered his mouth, "You… You didn't-"

Natsumi nodded slowly, "I lowered one of the swords, picked up Yamura-san, and impaled her. It wasn't hard. The killer had stabbed her all the way through."

 _She's… so eerily calm talking about this._

 _But I guess we know for sure that the sword couldn't possibly have been the murder weapon._

Yumiko was shaking, tears rolling down her face as she listened to the description. She croaked, "What… is _wrong_ with you? How _could_ you?"

Natsumi looked away, "I didn't have a choice."

"Like hell you didn't!" Itsuki shouted at her, "Someone… someone else might've found Yamura after you killed her."

Kazue shook her head, "If someone else found the body, I'm sure they would have said something by now."

Nobody else said anything, their eyes flickering around at each other.

 _This… This trial is so fucked up._

 _What are we even supposed to do now? I… I don't think I have anything left._

Hachirou cleared his throat, "If Uchiyama is done being a complete and utter waste of space, I have a suggestion."

Hiroki crossed his arms, "Yeah? What great fucking wisdom are you gonna impart?"

Hachirou glared at him before speaking, "We don't know the culprit's motive. That may be a good point to start upon again."

"You're stupid," Masuyo said, "They wanted to hide their secret, obviously."

Kenta started, "U-Uh, but… everyone was going to confess their secrets the day before, if… if I hadn't…"

Hiroki scowled, "Good job, Hasekura! You indirectly killed Yamura! ...Maybe even directly. Bitch."

"I would never hurt-" Kenta tried.

Hiroki shouted, "Then what made me any different, huh?!"

Itsuki slammed his hands down, "Shut up! This isn't going anywhere!"

Shun flinched.

 _They're out of control._

Asuka said, "I have another idea about the motive. It isn't solid, but…"

She glanced down at her vest, then produced Saki's notebook.

Arata wheezed, "I thought that was going to be another knife."

Asuka glowered at him, "...Anyways. This is Yamura's. She was writing really detailed profiles on… everyone. This thing is filled with creepy observations."

Masuyo blanched, "She was fucking _what?!"_

"I don't get it either. Maybe it was to determine who needed to be watched over," Asuka suggested with a shrug, "That's besides the point. I think the culprit could've confronted her over this… and killed her."

"Ah… but remember? We found the book in Yamura-san's room," Natsumi said, sounding incredibly sheepish, "And she still had her room key with her. So… that theory is unlikely."

 _Damn it. I can't argue with that._

Kazue said, "It was a fair try."

Yumiko whispered, "Saki was… Saki was taking extra preventative measures to make sure nobody else knew about that notebook."

"So you knew about it?" Minoru asked.

Yumiko said duly, "Of course. I know… I _knew_ everything about her."

 _Those two were hiding a lot, huh…_

"Saki just wanted to protect everyone. She had to know who would need support… and supervision," Yumiko said.

 _I get the meaning, but it's still a little weird._

Shun said, "W-Well, what's left? Maybe we should try to lay out any questions we still have."

"Oh!" Ayano waved her hands, "Agree!"

Arata shrugged, "I'll bite. Where did the carpet tear actually come from?"

Natsumi carefully suggested, "...Why are the stairs slightly damp?"

"What's the reason for the odd shape of the blood pool?" Kazue folded her arms.

Minoru shrugged, "Why were the lights arranged so weird?"

Ayano fumbled, "What… was… real murder weapon?"

 _That's a lot of shit we don't know…_

 _Fuck._

Masuyo waved her arms, "Maybe we could try Ikeda-kun's timeline idea again? Since we learned a bunch of new stuff thanks to… Uchiyama-chan's meddling."

Hachirou seemed pleased, "Yes. It may show us the hidden answers in the darkness that still covers this case."

Masuyo screwed up her nose.

 _That… might work._

 _But not in the way they're expecting._

 _Fuck it. Here goes nothing._

Yumiko opened, trying not to cry, "I last saw Saki at half past midnight. She… She told me she was going for a walk, and that she'd be back soon."

"So Yamura-san heads out of the hotel on her own, while Tsutaya-san goes to bed," Arata continued, typing the words down.

Kazue said, "She ends up at the concert hall, perhaps unconsciously, where she encounters the culprit."

Kenta gulped, "Yamura-kun talks to the killer and… shit goes down. Maybe they got into a fight? Verbal, I mean."

Shun stuck his hands in his pockets, "Maybe they were already planning a murder, and she got unlucky."

"Then the killer loses it, flicks their blade, and Yamura dies," Hiroki said, "They pull out the knife and ditch the place."

Natsumi grinned, but her voice lacked genuine enthusiasm, "That's when I showed up and ruined everything! I impaled Yamura-san on a nearby sword."

Minoru carefully continued from her statement, "But you got blood on your dress when you did that, so you had to go to the spa and clean it off."

Hachirou huffed, "And missed a spot."

"Found… body next. Screamed," Ayano said.

Asuka added, "I heard Chiba freaking out and raced into the concert hall."

Itsuki pushed up his glasses, "Which is when the body discovery announcement went off."

Masuyo concluded, "And everyone came down to see what the hell happened…"

 _Hm…_

 _I don't know if..._

Minoru frowned, "Did that really clear anything up? I still don't understand anything."

Arata paused, looking down at what he'd typed with a grave expression, "Perhaps we're thinking about it wrong."

Asuka said, "I'm sure there's… something we haven't-"

 _Wait._

 _Wait just a fucking second._

"Oh fuck," Asuka whispered, an answer hitting her like a truck.

Kazue frowned, "Is something wrong?"

 _No shit something's wrong!_

 _I… I never suspected…_

Asuka swallowed, "I know who the culprit is."

"What the fuck?!" Itsuki shouted, "How?!"

Masuyo groaned, "Nngh…"

Tears ran down Yumiko's face as she desperately hung onto her words, "W-Who?! Who did it?!"

 _They… made one fatal mistake._

Asuka closed her eyes, "The person… who killed Saki Yamura…"

 _ **CHOOSE A PERSON!**_


End file.
